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Danny speaks with John Gillis, author of "A World of their own Making" which explores the origins of family. Gillis argues the notion that a family should be a mother, father, grandparents and children is a fairly recent concept. Historically, he says, families weren't necessarily people who lived together because they were related, but rather a group of all sorts of people brought together under one roof because of economic conditions.

Fans at Oriole Park at Camden Yards respond to today's threatened umpire boycott of the American League Divisional Playoff. Umpires did not strike, but had threatened not to officiate at today's game as a protest against Oriole second baseman Roberto Alomar. Last week, Alomar spit at umpire John Hirschbeck after a disputed call. American League President Gene Budig (BYOO-dig) suspended Alomar, but the penalty was appealed and Alomar was allowed to take the field today.

David Willey reports from Rome on this week's meetings between the head of the Anglican Church, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and Pope John Paul the Second. At the end of the three-day visit, neither man budged from the issues dividing the two churches, especially the issue of women priests. Both men called for new talks on how the issue could affect future dialogue about reconciliation between Anglicans and Roman Catholics.

Bob Dole says if he is elected president, he will "end the IRS as we know it". He wants to transform the agency by firing up to a third of its personnel, privatizing some of its functions, and switching its focus from conducting audits to helping citizens file their taxes. Critics say the U.S. can't afford the loss of income that could result from those changes. NPR's John Nielsen reports.

In a format-breaking report, John Biewen reports on the controversy over the use of genetically modifed seeds in India. Despite the fact that the failure of a crop can lead to a farmer's suicide, many poor Indian farmers oppose the use of genetically modified seeds which might improve the chances of raising a successful crop. There is fear of the multi-national corporations selling the seeds. Many of the companies have included Indians in their research, development and marketing of the products.

Nine states file suit against the federal government after the Environmental Protection Agency eases parts of the Clean Air Act. The changes affect whether anti-pollution gear must be installed when industrial plants are modernized. Business groups are generally pleased, and environmentalists are livid. NPR's John Nielsen reports.

NPR's Peter Overby reports on today's introduction of the McCain-Feingold campaign-finance reform bill for the new Congress. Arizona Republican Senator John McCain is more confident of the bill's chances for passing this go around, as he has picked up a significant supporter in Republican Senator Thad Cochran of Mississippi. Some of the bill's opponents were also defeated in the November 2000 elections. The bill threatens to pose the first major confrontation to the new Bush administration.

NPR's Peter Kenyon reports on the second day of confirmation hearings for Attorney General-designate John Ashcroft. Today's hearing was not as combative as yesterday's, when Massachusetts Democratic Senator Edward Kennedy lashed into Ashcroft's civil rights record. The Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee continued pressing Ashcroft on how his personal views on laws might differ from having to enforce them. But one Democrat, Wisconsin's Herb Kohl, conceded that Ashcroft is likely to win confirmation.

NPR's Peter Kenyon reports on Georgia Senator Zell Miller, a Democrat who has given the Bush Administration two huge gifts -- a promise to vote for the confirmation of Attorney General-designate John Ashcroft and his support for the President's 1.6-trillion-dollar tax cut. Miller was appointed to the seat last year following the death of Republican Sen. Paul Coverdell. He had a reputation for reaching across party lines, and insists this is not a precursor of switching to the GOP. But these two actions have created a buzz in Washington.

NPR's Peter Overby looks at the career of former Clinton impeachment lawyer Charles Ruff, who died yesterday at age 61. Ruff was a prominent Washington lawyer, who had defended politicians including Charles Robb and John Glenn. He also served as a prosecutor in the Watergate investigation and later as an associate deputy attorney general. Ruff used a wheelchair after being struck with paralysis, blamed on an undetermined virus, which he contracted while teaching law in Liberia in the 60's.

British authorities find traces of ricin, a deadly poison without an antidote, in a London apartment and arrest six men of North African origin. Ricin has been linked to al Qaeda terrorists and Iraq. NPR's Lynn Neary talks with John Steele, crime correspondent with London's Daily Telegraph.

NPR' s John Ydstie reports President Bush unveiled his budget blueprint today. The $1.9 trillion budget allows overall discretionary spending to rise by 4 percent, but calls for deep cuts in some programs and the elimination of others. At a briefing this morning, budget officials reiterated the administration's position that projected surpluses leave plenty of room to both boost spending on some programs while cutting taxes by $1.6 trillion over six years.

Bush campaign lawyer Ben Ginsberg resigns following revelations he advised a group attacking Sen. John Kerry's Vietnam War record. The FEC is unlikely to finish investigating the Bush campaign's alleged cooperation with the group until after the November election. Hear NPR's Juan Williams.

President Bush may use his executive powers to unilaterally enact recommendations of the 9-11 Commission, say administration officials. Over the weekend, Democratic challenger Sen. John Kerry said he had found several recommendations the president could adopt on his own authority. NPR's Pam Fessler reports.

Saying President Bush's Iraq policy has led to more terrorist activity, Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. John Kerry details a seven-point plan to fight global terrorism. Speaking in Philadelphia, Kerry also says the Bush administration has neglected other foreign policy goals to focus on Iraq. NPR's Scott Horsley reports.

Satirist Harry Shearer takes note of the preparations both major party presidential candidates have been making for Thursday night's debate. Shearer suspects that some technical help may be used in the cause of the Democrat challenger John Kerry, in the form of an electric shock triggered by words with more than one syllable. Shearer's program Le Show comes from member station KCRW in Santa Monica, Calif.

In his victory speech President Bush says he wants to establish democracy in Iraq and Afghanistan and uphold what he called "family and faith." The president -- and Sen. John Kerry in his concession speech -- asked voters to help unify a deeply divided country. Hear NPR's Renee Montagne and NPR's Steve Inskeep.

Just days before Afghanistan's first-ever modern democratic election, President Hamid Karzai is all but guaranteed to win. But Karzai, who was appointed to his post by a vote of tribal elders, may not get the 50 percent of the ballot he needs to avoid a rundown election. Hear NPR's John Ydstie and Barnett Rubin, a New York University scholar and U.N. advisor.

The Senate is considering whether to approve an expensive and controversial stealth spy satellite program as part of an intelligence spending bill. Some leading Democrats have objected to it on the Senate floor, though they won't publicly identify what it is. NPR's Robert Siegel talks with John Pike, director of GlobalSecurity.org.

Presidential candidate Sen. John Kerry barnstorms through Midwestern states. At some stops, he's made time to meet with small groups still trying to fill out a picture of the candidate from Massachusetts.