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Scientists have manipulated cells of duck and quail embryos so that the duck would have the beak of a quail and the quail would have the bill of a duck. To find out why, NPR's Lynn Neary talks with Jill Helms, associate professor, department of Orthopedic Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, and senior author of "The Cellular and Molecular Origins of Beak Morphology." The article is in the current issue of Science magazine.

The image of Denmark is of a tolerant Scandinavian nation, one of the world's most generous donors of foreign aid. In reality, a xenophobic populist party has successfully played on the public's fears in the national debate about immigration. The country has adopted new rules to limit the number of asylum-seekers by making it harder for Danes to marry foreigners... pushing some loving couples abroad. Nick Spicer reports.

NPR's Lynn Neary talks to Vinny Boulanger, who runs the Broken Spoke Saloon in Laconia, N.H., about the frigid temperatures there, and the hot drinks people have been ordering.

With this year's Sundance Film Festival under way, we revisit a success story from last year's festival. The film Better Luck Tomorrow, about delinquent, affluent Asian-Americans in Orange County, was championed by film critic Roger Ebert and finally makes it to theaters next month. Beth Accomando of member station KPBS reports.

NPR's Ivan Watson in Istanbul reports that Turkey hosted talks among key Middle Eastern states Thursday, searching for ways to avert a new war in Iraq. Representatives from Turkey, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Egypt and Jordan are expected to send Baghdad a message, urging compliance with U.N. disarmament demands.

NPR's Guy Raz reports from London that British Prime Minister Tony Blair's close alignment with the White House on Iraq is increasingly making Blair the odd man out in Europe. Analysts say Blair risks damaging Britain's relations with Europe. What's more, the British public is strongly opposed to war in Iraq and the tabloids have taken to calling Blair "Bush's poodle."

The Bush administration approves a policy that could make it more difficult for Medicaid patients to receive emergency care. Federal law had required managed-care plans covering Medicare and Medicaid to cover trips to emergency rooms for those patients. The new Bush policy permits some limits on Medicaid ER use. NPR's Julie Rovner reports.

Host Scott Simon talks with Lee Dassler, Director of the McLaughlin Garden in South Paris, Maine. Friends of the Garden misplaced their clothes to be photographed in the nude for a 2003 calendar titled "Altogether for the Garden." Proceeds from the calendar sales are paying down the Garden's debt.

Absentee ballots in Louisiana aren't counted if they're cast by someone who then dies before election day. State Sen. Reggie Dupre, Jr. wants to reverse that law. The Republican from Houma says if someone takes the time to vote, it should count, even if the voter doesn't live to see election day. NPR's Robert Siegel talks with Dupre about the bill he's co-sponsored.

The Peabody Hotel in Memphis needs a new bird herder to give its famous mini-flock the red carpet treatment.