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NPR's John Ydstie reports the unemployment rate declined by two-tenths of a percent in April to its lowest rate in more than a year. The key labor market rate now stands at 5.4 percent. Analysts judged the monthly employment report weak though, because business payrolls expanded only slightly

Milwaukee has a tradition of electing liberal mayors. But Democrat John Norquist, the city's three-term mayor, stands apart from tradition. NPR's Edward Lifson reports that although Norquist supports abortion rights and gun control, he wants to end welfare and has reduced city spending significantly.

NPR's John Ydstie reports the oil industry is countering statements from politicians about climbing gas prices by pointing to some basic market forces: supply and demand. The oil industry maintains there has been no price gouging and that the oil industry's rate of return is actually lower than average for overall manufacturing.

- NPR's John Nielsen reports on the latest escalation in the Whitewater investigation. A leaked report by the Republican majority of the Senate Whitewater Committee concludes that the first lady obstructed Senate investigations into White House Deputy Counsel Vincent Foster's death. It also suggests that White House aides gave inaccurate testimony during the Whitewater hearings in order to conceal her actions.

NPR's John Nielsen reports on the latest skirmish over welfare reform. Republican presidential candidate Bob Dole is planning to give a speech atttacking the president's record on welfare reform this week. But in a speech this weekend, the president tried to beat him to the punch by praising a radical reform plan championed by Wisconsin's Republican governor.

The federal government's budget deficit was a big campaign issue four years ago, but this time around it seems to have faded, partly because both parties have taken balanced budget pledges, but also because the deficit is much smaller now. NPR's John Ydstie reports that budget experts say the deficit may be down, but it's not out.

Commentator John Rosenthal recalls going to a lot of weddings in the 60's-- thats when he first got started as a photographer and always offered to take the pictures for free-- He notes the strange reasons people decided to hook up in those days and how fleeting some of the marriages were.

- Daniel talks with British comedian Eddie Izzard (eddie IHZ-zard), who is currently making his American debut. John Cleese of Monty Python fame calls Izzard "the funniest man in England today." Izzard's brand of comedy is full of keen observations on everyday life delivered in an ironic, understated manner.

NPR's John Ydstie reports that Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan encouraged the Congress to move forward on efforts to revise the nation's main inflation guage, the consumer price index. Greenspan reiterated his view that the CPI overstates inflation and forces the government to overcompensate retirees and others for the effect of inflation.

Robert talks with Lawrence Kobelinski is the associate provost and a professor of forensic science at the John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. They discuss the news that the laboratories of the Federal Bureau of Investigation may have mishandled evidence from the Oklahoma City bombing, and what that means for expert witnesses around the nation.

John Ydstie talks with Steve Capus, executive producer of NBC Nightly News and of NBC News's Election Night Coverage, about exit polling -- how it's being done differently this year, and how elections will be called by the networks. (3:30)

A federal court judge in Maryland rules Washington, D.C.-area sniper suspect John Allen Muhammad should be held without bail. NPR's Larry Abramson reports.

John Ydstie and Andrew Kohut discuss the computer problems at the Voter News Service. VNS has has traditionally generated the exit polling data used by media organizations to project races.

John talks with Ralph Reed, chairman of the Georgia Republican Party, about Republican victories in his state. Republican Saxby Chambliss won a Senate seat from Max Cleland and Sonny Perdue's win will force Democrat Roy Barnes out of the governor's office. (4:30)

President Bush announces his choice for treasury secretary -- John Snow, chairman of CSX Transportation. Snow is no stranger to Washington. Hear NPR's Don Gonyea and Bob Lenzner, Forbes magazine national editor.

Thousands of mourners honor the space shuttle Columbia crew at a memorial service at Johnson Space Center in Houston. President Bush consoles survivors and NASA workers. NPR's John Burnett reports.

NPR's Lynn Neary talks with New York Times reporter Ben Weiser about Attorney General John Ashcroft's decision to pursue the death penalty in 12 cases in New York and Connecticut, against the wishes of local federal prosecutors.

Guest host Jacki Lyden speaks with University of Chicago political scientist John Mearsheimer about the argument for Saddam Hussein's containment and why it did not prevail in Washington.

NPR's John Nielsen reports that marine biologists are searching the waters along the coasts of Florida, the Gulf of Mexico, and Southern California for signs of the organism known to some as "killer algae." "Colepra Taxifolia" is widely believed to have first appeared in the Mediterranean. It doesn't actually harm people, but it does disturb underwater coastal ecosystems.

NPR's Barbara Bradley reports on reaction to the appointment of former Missouri Senator John Ashcroft to be Attorney General. Conservatives say Ashcroft is the perfect nominee for the job. At least one liberal group, People for the American Way, say having Ashcroft as Attorney General is a setback for civil rights.