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The science still has a long way to go, but many researchers believe that using stem cells from human embryos holds great promise as a way of treating diseases. As the Bush administration tries to decide whether or not to allow federal funding to be used for such research, NPR's Joe Palca reports on the two new studies that scientists hope may show the administration just how valuable stem cell therapy could be.

NPR's Jack Speer reports the nation's economy grew faster than expected in the first quarter. The nation's gross domestic product, or GDP, expanded at a 2 percent annual rate, according to the Commerce Department. Most economists expected the economy to grow no faster than 1 percent in the first quarter. Analysts said the economy was helped along by strong consumer spending and a narrower trade gap.

NPR's Jon Hamilton reports from Nigeria on an unusual summit of African leaders that concluded today. Presidents from African countries met for the first time to discuss the AIDS crisis, tuberculosis and other diseases ravaging the continent. The meeting also included former President Bill Clinton and United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan.

In Oberlin, Ohio, young children have found a public voice -- over the airwaves of WOBC, the local college radio station. Two college seniors produce I'm on the Stereo, a program featuring interviews with -- and sometimes hosted by -- kids ages 4 to 18. Linda Wertheimer speaks with the producers of the show, and some of their young radio stars. (8:00) I'm on the Stereo's Web site.

Alan Cheuse reviews a new novel by Sylvia Brownrigg called, Pages for You. (1:30) The book is published by Farrar, Straus, Giroux.

President Bush campaigned last year on a promise to restore the power and morale of the United States armed forces. But this year he introduced his first budget with scarcely any increase in spending for the military. The president said he wanted to conduct a strategic review of all U.S. defense needs. That review is nearly complete now, and it appears some weapons systems long sought or supported by the Pentagon are on the chopping block. NPR's Tom Gjelten reports from the Pentagon.

Front-page pictures of a calf that survived the slaughter of cattle on a farm in southern England brought a public outcry and a change in government policy on foot-and-mouth disease. Britain has decided to stop killing healthy animals. NPR's Julie McCarthy in London talks with Linda Wertheimer.

According to new research published today in Science magazine, the amount of ozone pollution produced by a power generating plant depends on where it's located as well as on its emission levels. NPR's John Nielsen has the story.

The population of Paris, Tennessee grows tenfold this time of year, for the annual Fish Fry, a four-day festival of beauty pageants, rodeos, motocross racing and 12,000 pounds of fried catfish. Linda Wertheimer talks with head fish fryer Bob Milam.

NPR's Richard Knox reports that the debate over AIDS drugs to the developing world is expanding to Latin America. The nations of Central and South America are actually better poised to take advantage of lower prices, because health infrastructures are more advanced. But pharmaceutical giants are already aiming to stop further erosion of their prices. Last week in Quebec City, new anti-generic rules were proposed that would protect patents on brand name drugs in Central and South America.

NPR's Cheryl Corley reports on a lawsuit filed by the estate of Margaret Mitchell, author of the epic Gone With the Wind. The estate objects to a novel by Alice Randall, scheduled to be published this June. Randall says the book, titled The Wind Done Gone is a parody of the classic novel, told from the perspective of a young slave girl. Lawyers for the Mitchell estate argue it's an unauthorized sequel. (8:00) (Post broadcast correction: The name of the attorney for Houghton Mifflin is Joseph Beck.)

NPR's Rob Gifford reports China's state controlled media declared today that the United States finally apologized for the surveillance plane accident and, no doubt, most Chinese people believe that. But the young, well educated, well informed elite -- China's future leaders -- know the U.S. letter stopped well short of an apology.

Commentator Charles Eisendrath notes that many, many people hold trout fishing licenses.

Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan reviews the movie version of Bridget Jones's Diary. The book by Helen Fielding sold five million copies around the world, and Turan says it promises to be quite successful on the big screen as well.

NPR's Eric Weiner reports on the political search for Japan's new prime minister.

NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports from Belgrade that the arrest this month of former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic marked a turning point for Serbian society. Serbs are now trying to confront the Milosevic legacy.

Janet Heimlich reports from Austin that legislation to allow Texas voters to decide on a moratorium on executions has surprisingly been approved by a key committee in the state senate.

NPR's Wendy Kaufman reports on the much anticipated homecoming of the 24 men and women held in China for 11 days after their Navy plane went down there.

NPR's Barbara Bradley reports on today's announcement that survivors and relatives of victims of the Oklahoma City bombing will be able to watch Timothy McVeigh's execution on closed circuit television.

Travis Hugh Cully's new book is called The Immortal Class: Bike Messengers and the Cult of Human Power. It's about his days as a bike messenger in Chicago -- the pressure, pain and sometimes loss of pedaling through a major American city. Noah Adams talks with Culley about maneuvering through the city and the battle between bikes and cars.

NPR's Kate Seelye reports from Damascus on a group of African-American Muslims sent to Syria to study Arabic and Islam for two years. The hope is, when they return, they will be able to teach others what they've learned and build community life within mainstream Islam in the United States.

Noah Adams talks with Paul Beaver, a writer for Jane's Defense Weekly, about the use of surveillance planes by China and Russia.

NPR's Sarah Chayes reports from Skopje, Macedonia, on today's visit by Secretary of State Colin Powell. Meeting with Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski.

Voters in Mississippi will go to the polls on Tuesday to designate a new state flag. The old one, in place since 1894, bears a Confederate Flag symbol in the upper-left-hand corner. A new one was designed by a state committee. Melanie Peeples reports on the coming decision.

Reverend Carroll Pickett has stood alongside 95 inmates during their executions in Huntsville, Texas. Host Lisa Simeone speaks with Reverend Pickett about Attorney General John Ashcroft's decision to allow injured victims and victim family members in the Oklahoma City Bombing to watch Timothy McVeigh's execution next month. To hear more from Reverend Pickett and other observers of Huntsville's death chamber, you can listen to the radio documentary Witness to an Execution produced by Stacy Abramson and David Isay. Just go to www.soundportraits.org.