We look back at the life and career of renowned Mexican novelist, diplomat and Renaissance man Carlos Fuentes, who died Tuesday at age 83.

This month, James Dunn marks his 30th and final season directing the annual Mountain Play, performed each summer at a historic amphitheater on Marin's Mt. Tamalpais. We'll talk to Dunn about his career and about this year's offering, "The Music Man." We'll also look back at the history of the Mountain Play, which marks its 100th anniversary next year.

Political scientists Thomas Mann and Norman Ornstein join us to discuss their new book "It's Even Worse Than It Looks: How the American Constitutional System Collided With the New Politics of Extremism."

Starting Friday, thousands of farmworkers and their supporters from across the U.S. will gather in Bakersfield for a celebration of the 50th anniversary of the United Farmworkers Union. One of the featured speakers is Dolores Huerta, a longtime activist who, together with Cesar Chavez, began organizing California farmworkers five decades ago.

Dick Meister says that more than 200 million children in 71 countries produce goods that often end up on U.S. shelves.

Last year, the Chinese government rolled out an ambitious five-year plan to spend $250 billion to develop the next phase of its aviation infrastructure. Already, most of the world's airport construction is taking place in China. In his newest book "China Airborne," journalist James Fallows chronicles the country's efforts to become the leading producer and user of commercial planes. What could China's aerospace expansion mean for the U.S. and the rest of the world?

It's hard to argue that any effort to stop cigarette addiction isn't a worthy pursuit. Still, Proposition 29 -- which plans to increase the cigarette tax by $1 a pack and give that money to cancer research -- is under fire. Critics say the program may be well intentioned, but that any new tax revenues should pay down the budget deficit. Proponents say making people pay more for their bad habit is a way raise needed research money, and break an addiction.

On June 5, California voters will decide whether to adopt new rules on term limits. Proposition 28 would reduce the total number of years lawmakers can serve in the Legislature, while also allowing them to serve out their term in one house. Supporters say it would increase government stability and preserve institutional knowledge. Critics say it will empower incumbents and keep new faces and ideas out of Sacramento.

Lawyers for a new non-profit focused on education filed suit in Los Angeles County Superior Court this week, challenging the constitutionality of state laws which they say protect ineffective teachers at the expense of low-income and minority children.