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Brenda Tremblay of member station WXXI reports that many people in the city of Rochester, New York, are reading the same book. People in supermarkets and malls wear pins that say they're reading, A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines. Its the story of a young black man wrongly sentenced to death. Rochester's mayor says its allowing residents to talk about race relations in a way they'd usually avoid.

NPR's Michael Sullivan reports on a bribery scandal that is tearing at India's government. The president of the main governing party has resigned, and the scandal has put in jeopardy the administration's coalition government.

Fighting has flared up again in the Balkans, in a demilitarized zone between Kosovo and Macedonia. NATO troops in the area are attempting to suppress that violence between ethnic Albanians and Macedonia security forces. But even as the region heats up, the Bush administration is moving to trim the ranks of Americans now on a peacekeeping mission in neighboring Bosnia. President Bush has said he wants the European Union to shoulder more of the burden in the region. NPR's Tom Gjelten reports.

NPR's Don Gonyea reports on the White House meeting today between President Bush and Japan's Prime Minister Yoshio Mori. Both countries are experiencing economic slowdowns, but the two leaders, in a joint statement, pledged to work together and expressed optimism about the future.

Banning Eyre reviews the new CD Oh What a World by Irish singer-songwriter Paul Brady. Brady used to be known as one of the greatest voices in traditional Irish music, but now his reputation as a pop songwriter is quickly growing. He's written songs for Bonnie Raitt, Tina Turner, Carlos Santana and many others, a fact that causes a little anguish for die-hard fans of traditional Irish music. Paul Brady's CD is Oh What a World on Compass Records, catalog number 7-4304-2. Compass Records can be contacted at info@compassrecords.com.

President Bush's effort to channel more social service money to faith-based organizations has run into problems with some religious leaders. Several high profile spokesmen have said the president's initiative, while welcome, would pose too many risks of government interference in the work of religious charities. But today, a group of African-American ministers came to Washington to proclaim their willingness to work with White House and federal agencies under the program. NPR's Brian Naylor reports.

NPR's diplomatic correspondent Vicky O'Hara reports on Ariel Sharon's first day of talks in Washington as Israel's prime minister. Sharon is meeting with the secretaries of state and defense, and the national security adviser. He is due to meet President Bush tomorrow.

NPR Senior News Analyst Daniel Schorr notes some of the foreign concerns on President Bush's mind as he tries to deal with the economy.

Noah Adams talks with NPR's Nina Totenberg about the Bush administration's reported decision not to submit judicial nominations to the American Bar Association for screening. The president of the ABA, Martha Barnett, met with White House Counsel Al Gonzalez and Attorney General John Ashcroft today. She says she was not told the ABA would be losing its traditional role. Barnett says Gonzalez and Ashcroft said the administration is still considering what to do.

NPR's Richard Gonzales reports that California is having its first "Stage 3" power alert since January. Blackouts took place throughout the state.