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NPR's Ivan Watson is in the African nation of Benin, where officials say they expect a ship carrying hundreds of child slaves to dock this week. But the vessel is reportedly adrift off the coast of West Africa and its exact location is unclear.

NPR's David D'Arcy reports on two Iranian movies opening in the U.S., both addressing a normally taboo topic in Middle Eastern culture: the status of women.

NPR's Jennifer Ludden in Jerusalem reports on the aftermath of an Israeli air strike on a Syrian military position in Lebanon. Arab nations warned of a regional conflict, and Jordan's foreign minister underscored those fears when he traveled to Israel today.

Robert Siegel talks with Dennis Ross, who was Special Middle East Coordinator at the State Department under former President Clinton. He's now counselor at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. He says the Israeli attack on a Syrian radar installation in Lebanon is a departure from former Israeli policy regarding Hizbollah and its connection to Syria.

Charles de Ledesma reviews the latest CD in the Global Underground series. The Global Underground is the name of a series of compilation CDs, featuring the world's best dance music DJs playing their favorite songs. It's become quite a phenomenon among dance music enthusiasts, who often find it difficult to locate a lot of the music they hear in dance clubs. This latest CD is #19, and features John Digweed.

The Bush administration is facing a key decision next week on what weapons to sell Taiwan. NPR's Tom Gjelten reports members of Congress are pushing for a "robust" weapons package but there are questions about Taiwan's ability to absorb and use the most advanced arms.

NPR Senior News Analyst Daniel Schorr takes a look at the purchase of Russia's only independent TV network by a state-owned utility and what it means for freedom of the press.

NPR's Jason Beaubien reports from Boston where the 105th Boston Marathon is off to a hi-tech start today. The marathon's 15,000 entrants will all have small computer chips tied to their shoelaces, sending instant updates of each runner's progress to the Internet for fans. Check out the Boston Marathon Web site.

Fred Kight reports from Athens, Ohio, on the comeback of the pawpaw, a green-and-yellow fruit native to North America, but with a tropical flavor. Some say it could be a replacement crop for farmers no longer growing tobacco.

NPR's Jack Speer reports on credit scoring -- a numerical system based on your credit history that's used to determine whether or not you get a loan, and what interest rate you pay. It's been around for years, but credit bureaus have only recently begun letting people see their scores.

Most Americans dread tax time. But Commentator Kristi Bjornerud, a practicing tax attorney, says she loves the Internal Revenue Code in all its unwieldy glory.

NPR's Tom Goldman reports from Whidbey Island, Washington, where the crew of the EP3 spy plane detained in China earlier this month celebrated an emotional Easter homecoming with their families.

President Bush cancelled this year's White House Egg Roll; bad weather turned the south lawn into a mushy mess. We have some facts about the annual egg roll, as well as some facts about eggs.

U.S. News and World Report senior writer Joseph Shapiro reports on a new model of providing government assistance for the severely disabled. Called self-determination, it allows disabled people a much greater role in making decisions about their own care. Find out how a pair of twin sisters used self-determination to reunite after years of separation.

The National Weather Service is evaluating replacements for the computerized voice affectionately known as "Igor" -- used to relay weather reports on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio. The Weather Service has decided to stop using Igor because of complaints that the voice is hard to understand. Linda Wertheimer speaks with Joanne Swanson, Meteorologist Voice Evaluation Leader for the National Weather Service, about the search for a new voice.

NPR's Rick Karr reports on the trial to determine who owns the rights to the legacy of dance pioneer Martha Graham -- the dance troupe that bears her name, or Ronald Protas, the heir to her intellectual property.

NPR's Brenda Wilson reports on a court case starting this week to block South Africa from importing cheaper AIDS drugs. The pharmaceutical industry is trying to strike down a law allowing the government to bring in the generic medicines.

Josh Levs of member station WABE reports that Atlanta road builders have gone on the offensive attacking local environmentalists with TV and radio ads. The ads charge the environmentalists with limiting personal freedom by blocking road construction and directing highway funds to alternative means of transportation.

Host Bob Edwards talks with reporter Anthony Kuhn about the meeting today between U.S. and Chinese negotiators. Among the issues they'll discuss is the fate of the U.S. spy plane being held in Southern China.

NPR's Richard Gonzales examines California Governor Gray Davis' handling of the state's energy crisis and the consequences on his political future.

NPR's Tom Gjelten reports on the Pentagon investigation into the Kuwait training exercise accident last month. A U.S. Navy jet mistakenly bombed an American observation post, killing six people, and injuring five others. Investigators say an air controller on the ground realized that the wrong location was about to be bombed and tried to call it off, but a second Navy aircraft involved in the exercise mistakenly gave the go ahead

In Pretoria this week, court action resumes in a lawsuit that pits 39 major pharmaceutical companies against the South African government and AIDS activists. The drug companies hope to block a law that allows South Africa to import or manufacture cheaper generic medications. NPR's Jon Hamilton reports on what's at stake for each of the major players in the case.

Eric Engleman reports from Moscow that Russia's independent media outlets suffered new blows today. The newspaper Segodnya stopped publishing, and the entire editorial staff of the magazine Itogi was fired. Both the newspaper and the magazine (a Newsweek affiliate) were part of the media empire of Vladimir Gusinsky. Gusinsky and his journalists say the Kremlin is trying to silence independent media voices.

Like the late Brother Theodore, the Citizen is one of those New York characters. In the 1970s, he did a show for WBAI that featured live comedy and a troupe that included John Goodman. Today the Citizen plays in the Wretched Refuse String Band and co-hosts another radio show, the Secret Museum of the Air. Jon Kalish has the story.

Melanie Peeples reports on yesterday's vote in Mississippi on whether to keep the current design of the state's flag -- which includes a Confederate flag.