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NPR's Jim Zarroli reports that two of the world's largest pharmaceutical manufacturers have decided to merge in one of the business world's biggest transactions ever. Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz are both Swiss firms. Together they will become the world's second largest drugmaker, behind the U.S.-British firm, Glaxo Wellcom. The stock swap is valued at more than $36 billion.

Republicans and the Clinton administration resumed skirmishing over the budget today. The temporary legislation that allows the federal government to operate is set to expire next week, raising the spectre of a third partial government shutdown. While the House and Senate took action today, NPR's Chitra Ragavan reports President Clinton says he'll veto the proposed new spending measures as they're currently written.

NPR's legal affairs correspondent Nina Totenberg reports on oral arguments before the Supreme Court today in a case testing the confidentiality of a clinical social worker's notes. The case involves counseling given a police officer after she fatally shot a suspect. Congress has left it to courts to use reason and experience in determining whether conversations between psychotherapists and their patients are protected from disclosure in federal court.

NPR's Derek Reveron reports from Miami that Brothers to the Rescue, the group that lost two private planes when Cuban MiG's shot the down last Saturday, are gearing up to launch a flotilla of boats to the site of last week's downing. This next excursion, scheduled for this Saturday, will involve a fleet of boats as well as planes from the Brothers group, which has flown numerous missions intended to aid refugees fleeing Cuba by water.

NPR's Dan Charles reports that the National Park Service wants to make sure that the it benefits financially if a biotech company ever finds something in a park from which it can make money. Many developing countries have taken similar steps to protect their interests when drug companies go looking for new medicines in the rain forest.

NPR'S Derek Reveron reports that the downing of two planes flown by Brothers to the Rescue with the death of four pilots, has strengthened the hand of hard-line Cuban exile groups in Miami. Recently, more moderate voices, advocating negotiation with Fidel Castro, have been assuming a more prominant role in Cuban-exile politics, but since the shoot-down, they are on the defensive, and the hard-liners again enjoy the upper hand.

NPR's Don Gonyea reports on the beginning of another trial against Dr. Jack Kevorkian. Kevorkian is accused under common law for aiding two people in their effort to commit suicide. Kevorkian was recently acquitted in a similar trial, and has never been convicted for a crime in his efforts to provide help to those who wish to end their lives because of serious illnesses.

Joanne Silberner reports that today, the House Ways and Means Committee began consideration of a health insurance bill that would guarantee that millions of Americans would not lose coverage because of a pre-existing condition when they become unemployed or switch jobs. The legislation has broad bipartisan support, but House Republicans have tacked on a lot of amendments that are opposed by the Senate. How Senator Dole handles the Republican mavericks in the House has implications for his presidential candidacy.

In the wake of the suicide bombings in Israel, the House is once again taking up a controversial anti-crime bill. The bill would give federal law enforcement officials new rights in their investigations of terrorist crimes. But NPR's Peter Kenyon reports that opponents from across the political spectrum say these measures would infringe on privacy rights and would inevitably lead to the conviction and imprisonment of innocent people.

Scott Bard reports from London on the fear raging through Europe over a possible link between "mad cow disease" and a deadly human brain disease. Yesterday the British Health Minister said a group of scientists had found the bovine disease the most likely explanation for the human fatalities -- spurring several European countries to ban or consider banning British beef.