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NPR's Sarah Chayes reports on the rebirth of the rich musical tradition of the French island of Corsica. Back in the 1970's, when musicologists first started reviving ancient folk melodies, French authorities worried the songs could fuel separatism. Corsican nationalists did, indeed, use the island's unique polyphonic singing style to boost support for their cause. But many musicians object to the notion that their art is political. (5:45) You can find this music at http://www.corsicata.com/en/ There is also other Corsican music available from Harmonia Mundia, a US distributed label Harmonia Mundi HMC 901256 title: Corsica chants polyphoniques E Voce di u Cumune they have a web site http://www.harmoniamundi.com/hmUS/homeUS.asp Also there is a little shop in Corsica if you speak French. 011 334 9550

NPR's Martin Kaste reports from Cartagena, Colombia, on President Clinton's visit today. The President wants to show support for Plan Colombia, which aims to end Colombia's 40-year cycle of political and criminal violence. The U.S. will provide nearly a billion dollars toward the plan, much of it in military aid. Human rights groups are worried that the plan will contribute to even more violence against civilian populations.

NPR's Tom Gjelten reports that the United States is supporting opposition figures against President Slobodan Milosevic in Yugoslavian elections this month... but there is concern that US intervention could be the "kiss of death" for the opposition.

NPR's Steve Inskeep compares the differing approaches of Presidential candidates Al Gore and George W. Bush toward reforming the Social Security system. Bush favors a plan that would allow people to invest part of their Social Security retirement taxes in private stock market accounts. Gore opposes radical changes to the current system. He supports keeping all Social Security taxes in the federal system and giving people the option of opening supplemental retirement accounts.

Host Bob Edwards talks with Steve Goose, the program director of Human Rights Watch, and editor of a report to be released Thursday from the International Campaign to Ban Landmines. It shows progress since the signing of the 1997 international treaty to ban the use, manufacture or trade of anti-personnel mines.

NPR's Brooke Gladstone reports on how elections and candidates are portrayed in movies, including All the President's Men, Bulworth, and The Best Man. Film critics say the main plot of these films is to take a likable, decent person and transform him into something he isn't.

The way that American elections are financed was a major topic in the presidential primaries, when some candidates saw the subject as a way to cut the frontrunners down to size. But then the frontrunners got nominated, and talk about campaign finances took on a different role in the debate. Now, with Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Al Gore the party standard-bearers, the subject is mostly used as a metaphor for issues of character. For NPR News, Peter Overby reports.

Banning Eyre reviews the CD Bambay Gueej by Chiekh Lo. Lo is from Senegal, and marries the West African traditional music with Cuban and other Latin sounds. He is just beginning to reach an international audience, with this, his 2nd international release. The CD is Bambay Gueej by Chiekh Lo. It's on Nonesuch Records, catalog number PRCD 300008.

NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports that the increasing popularity of olive oil in Israeli cooking is creating a thriving olive oil industry. More Israelis are switching from soybean oil, as they acquire a taste for olive oil.

NPR's Linda Gradstein in Jerusalem reports that Palestinian students returned to classes this week with something new in their school bags - textbooks written and published by Palestinians. Predictably, the new books have already stirred controversy over what they say, and what they don't say, about Israel.