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

In the final installment in our series on California's Central Valley, NPR's Richard Gonzales reports that working conditions for farm workers have not improved much in the last 50 years. Half of the valley's farm laborers are illegal immigrants, and they work for farm labor contractors and growers who take advantage of their illegal status. The system creates vague lines of responsibility for how and whether workers are paid and who is responsible if someone gets hurt. Ultimately it creates an underclass of low-skilled workers who -- unlike immigrants in the past -- have little chance to improve their lives.

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.

China's Communist Party formally reveals its new leaders Friday. A new generation is taking over, but none are expected to stray far from the path of outgoing President Jiang Zemin, who has pushed economic but not political reform. NPR's Rob Gifford reports.

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.

When actress Winona Ryder was convicted of shoplifting last week, it struck a chord with Youth Radio's Nora Harrington. Harrington is a high school student who wonders what her classmates find so thrilling about stealing.

Critics of the new campaign finance reform law say Sen. John McCain's victory will be short-lived. They claim the Supreme Court will find much of the law unconstitutional, and loopholes abound. But the Arizona Republican vows to continue the fight in the new year. NPR's Peter Overby 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.

Researchers are looking to beavers to learn about fire resistance.