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Daniel talks with freelance journalist Shane Cave who covers business and economics in New Zealand. Cave compares analyzes what's happend in New Zealand in the 10 years since a new political party was voted in and radically changed the way the government there did business. He also talks of how the political changes there are similar to what the Republican Party here wants to do.

To bring us up to date on the state of the Presidential race, Robert Siegel speaks with David Brooks, Senior Editor at the Weekly Standard, and E.J. Dionne, columnist for the Washington Post and Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. They talk about the stage of the race now drawing to a close -- the time in-between the primaries and the party conventions, and what to expect as the parties convene in a few weeks.

The speeches at the Democratic National Convention may last until nearly midnight for many of the nation's TV viewers, but in L.A. the nightly sessions are ending before 9 p.m. That gives the party plenty of time to party, and you get the feeling that's where most of the popular will is being expressed. NPR's Don Gonyea reports from inside the Conga, a popular local club that was rented out for a fundraiser for Democratic candidates.

While the overwhelming majority of black voters vote Democratic, some feel that the Democratic party takes them for granted and does not address all of their concerns. At the same time, the Republican presidential ticket -- Bob Dole and Jack Kemp -- says it will make a special effort this year to reach out to black voters, who have sometimes been written off by the Republican Party. NPR's Cheryl Corley reports.

- Daniel speaks with reporter Virginia Biggar about the other political convention that opens today, that of Ross Perot's Reform, Party. Biggar explains that today's event in Dallas, where Perot and his rival, former Colorado Gov. Richard Lamm will deliver speeches, is only the first part of a two-phase convention. The second phase, she says, will include voting by mail and e-mail and the announcement of the party's candidate next Sunday.

Reporter Joanna Robertson talks to Robert about the volatile situation in Albania, following a weekend of violent demonstrations that the ruling party blames on the rival Socialists. The government today deployed troops in the capital and in other parts of the country to restore order. The violence began when Albanian investors suffered serious losses in the collapse of two national pyramid investment schemes. Opposition parties are calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Aleksandr Meksi (MEHK-see).

NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports from Jerusalem. Israel's Labor Party has voted to accept Prime-Minister-elect Ariel Sharon's invitation to join a national unity government. The decision clears the way for Sharon to start coalition talks with other parties.

NPR's Legal Affairs Correspondent Nina Totenberg reports on a case before the U.S. Supreme Court today that could determine how political parties may spend their money. The case involves contributions to parties for specific candidates -- and how those contributions are spent. (7:22) Check out more NPR News coverage of the Supreme Court.

A coordinated series of worldwide parties commemorates the first human space flight by Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin on this date in 1961. NPR's Alex Chadwick talks to George Whiteside, the organizer of the event, and Tony Watson, a deejay who will link the parties with the music he plays on the Internet.

Egypt completes the third and final phase of parliamentary elections Thursday amid clashes between supporters of the banned Muslim Brotherhood and the ruling National Democratic Party. The violence has escalated with the success of supporters of the opposition party at the polls.