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Lawmakers have been critical of how the FBI mishandled the investigation of Larry Nassar. Several prominent gymnasts abused by Nassar are testifying about the case to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

In his summer series, Play-by-Play, NPR's Neal Conan profiles Perry Barber, one of the few women who work as umpires in professional baseball. Barber works in the Atlantic League.

In the second part of her Mafia series, NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports on a civic campaign to rebuild the old city of Palermo, capital of the Italian island of Sicily. Palermo is a living museum, with architectural styles ranging from the ancient to art nouveau. But under the influence of corrupt politicians and their friends in the Mafia, it fell into ruin. Citizens have now begun to take back their city from the mob, restoring its architectural treasures. (8:00) Music after story was "Costumi Siciliani" from the CD "Italian String Virtuosi", copyright 1995, Rounder Records.

Commentator Patt Morrison says it's time to dismantle a few of the myths about Los Angeles.

NPR's Gerry Hadden reports that another election defeat for the party that for years ruled Mexico has re-ignited hopes that the government can reach a peace agreement with guerrillas in the south. The Institutional Revolutionary Party or PRI yesterday lost the gubernatorial election in the state of Chiapas. Only six weeks ago, the PRI lost the presidential election to opposition candidate Vicente Fox . Both Fox and the opposition winner in the governor's race yesterday have pledged to resolve the bloody conflict in Chiapas between government forces and the indigenous Zapatista rebels.

The Republican National Committee has decided not to air an ad attacking the credibility of Vice President Al Gore, the Democratic presidential nominee. The ad was apparently controversial within the party headquarters, and today the GOP's own nominee, Texas Governor George W. Bush said he approved of the decision to reject it. The episode was sure to renew debate over the relationship between the committee and the campaign, which, under campaign laws, are required to act independently. NPR's Peter Overby reports.

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.

NPR's Rob Gifford reports on how China prepares young athletes for Olympic competition. Every major city and province has a government-run sports academy, which grooms children as young as four years old to be champion gymnasts, swimmers, or pingpong players.

NPR's Julie McCarthy reports from Camp Zeist in the Netherlands that the prosecution appears to have suffered a setback today in the trial of two Libyans accused of blowing up Pan Am Flight 103. The defense and the prosecution wrangled over CIA documents. The defense objected to being given expurgated versions of intelligence documents, while the prosecution was allowed to see a fuller version of the texts. The court ruled in favor of the defense.

NPR's Julie McCarthy reports on an upward trend in reported hate crimes in the former East Germany. Hate crimes have become so common that German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is touring the region to address the attacks.