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Andrea Dukakis of Colorado Public Radio reports on the effect of an economic downturn on people trying to get off of welfare. Although the number of people on welfare has decreased since the passage of a federal welfare reform law, a recession could cause caseloads to rise.

Scott Horsley of member station KPBS reports on the stock market rally that sent the Dow Jones industrial average 2.5 percent higher and the NASDAQ Composite Index six percent higher yesterday. It was the first time in nearly a month that the Dow has closed above 10,000. Analysts are reluctant to read too much into yesterday's rally but wonder if it's a sign that the downturn in stock prices may be over.

From Minnesota Public Radio, Dan Gunderson reports on the community effort in Moorhead, Minnesota, to protect homes and buildings from flooding rivers. With memories of the 1997 floods fresh in their minds, residents are quickly erecting emergency levees in the hopes of avoiding the billions of dollars in damage they saw four years ago.

NPR's Larry Abramson reports that high speed Internet connections can still be pretty pokey, and that several companies are marketing software and gadgets to speed up the pace of Internet use.

Geraldine Coughlan reports that a bill voted up in the Dutch Senate today has made euthanasia legal in the Netherlands -- the first country in the world to legalize this complex issue. A system of rules and regulations is being set up, and legal euthanizations will begin in the summer.

Steve Hirschberg of member station WVXU reports on violent clashes between police and residents in Cincinnati after officers killed an unarmed young black man. Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas into crowds of demonstrators.

Host Bob Edwards talks to Mitchell Daniels who, as director of the Office of Management and Budget, is responsible for getting the budget through Congress. On Monday, the president released details of his $1.96 trillion budget, which he had outlined in a blueprint on February 28th. Last week, the Senate approved the blueprint after scaling back the President's proposed 10-year tax cut from 1.6 trillion to 1.2 trillion. The House approved the entire 1.3 trillion tax cut proposal on March 21st.

Host Bob Edwards talks with NPR's China Correspondent Rob Gifford about the agreement announced this morning between the U.S. and China. The news was first announced by the Chinese foreign minister.

Sports Commentator Frank Deford wonders whether the standoff between the U.S. and China will help or hurt China's chances of hosting the 2008 Olympics.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to boost national pride. But some Russians are already plenty proud-- of their homegrown pop and rock music. NPR's Michele Kelemen reports from Moscow on a radio station called Nasha Radio — "our radio."

Host Bob Edwards talks with NPR White House Correspondent Don Gonyea about the U.S. view of this morning's agreement with the Chinese government to release the 24 U.S. Navy personnel held in southern China for 11 days. The White House has confirmed that an agreement has been reached.

The impasse with China over the crew of an American reconnaissance plane has been broken. The plane made an emergency landing on Hainan Island after a mid-air collision with a Chinese fighter jet on April 1st. NPR's Rob Gifford talks to Linda Wertheimer about the news.