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President Clinton and Senate Majority Leader Dole addressed the National Governors' Association today. NPR's White House correspondent Mara Liasson reports both men praised the governors for coming up with a bipartisan compromise on Medicaid and welfare -- two of the biggest federal programs administered by the states and two of the biggest stumbling blocks in negotiations over a federal budget.

As China prepares to take over Hong Kong next year, many of Hong Kong's film directors are preparing to jump ship for more fertile and lucrative creative ground here in the U.S. Two films with Hong Kong connections are now on American movie screens...Broken Arrow and Rumble in the Bronx. Our critic, Bob Mondello, prepared this report.

NPR's Joe Palca reports that scientists have found new evidence that the human brain may be more flexible than previously believed. New research has found that when blind people read braille, they use a part of the brain that researchers had thought was only used for vision. That suggests the brain can rewire itself in ways never before understood.

NPR's Anne Garrels reports from Moscow that Russia and Britain are trying to settle a problem over charges of spying. Russia says it is considering kicking out nine British diplomats Russia says ran a spy ring. The British say Russia hasn't told them details of the allegations and threatened to retaliate.

A Federal Appeals Court ruled today that a class action lawsuit, brought against the tobacco industry by plaintiffs alleging that the industry concealed knowledge that nicotine is addictive and conspired to manipulate nicotine levels in cigarettes, may NOT proceed. Linda talks with NPR reporter Debbie Elliot about the implications of this ruling, which is viewed as a major victory for tobacco interests.

- Daniel talks with curator Betsy Walsh of the Folger Shakespeare Library (Washington, DC) about "Yesterday's News," an exhibition about the forerunner of today's newspapers - the "newsbook." News accounts in 17th Century England were sold in stores, posted on street corners, and even sung by balladeers. They contained many of the kinds of stories newspapers report on today.

In Chicago today, Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing of America announced that former Secretary of Labor Lynn Martin will conduct an independent review of company policy regarding sexual harassment and discrimination. Mitsubishi is the target of two sexual harassment suits. NPR's Cheryl Corley reports that a lawyer representing some of the women charging sexual harassment says hiring the former Labor Secretary is just a public relations move.

As senators campaign hard for positions in the new Senate leadership line-up, members of both parties are pessimistic about their ability to achieve any substantive legislation in the rest of this Congress. There's no indication that the squabbling over the minimum wage and the gas tax will be resolved, while legislation on welfare, Medicaid, immigration, campaign finance reform, and insurance reform remains unfinished. NPR's Peter Kenyon reports.

NPR's Mike Shuster reports that after many false starts, Iraq has finally agreed to the terms of a UN plan that allows Iraq to sell 2 billion dollars in oil over six months. Iraq could use the hard currency to buy food and medicine. The deal does not mean an end to the sanctions, however.

Prosecutors in Lane County, Oregon tape-recorded a Catholic confession between a jailed triple-murder suspect and a jailhouse priest. Colin Fogarty of Oregon Public Broadcasting reports that what was said has not been revealed, but prosecutors want to use the tape in court. Some Catholic leaders and civil libertarians are outraged; they say confessions are sacred and cannot be revealed.