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Poet Minton Sparks comes from a long line of strong Southern women. She praises them in her latest CD, Middlin' Sisters, and talks with host Lisa Simeone about what it was like growing up with women who had to hold their families together.

Host Lisa Simeone talks to Terry Ryan about her new book The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less. Terry's mother Evelyn entered hundreds of contests during the advertising heyday of the 1950s and 60s. The contests usually required a short poem praising a product, and sometimes the prizes were quite substantial. Ryan won thousands of dollars and hundreds of prizes during her long "career" as a jingle writer.

Host Bob Edwards talks to sports commentator John Feinstein about the exciting conclusion to golf's Masters Tournament. Tiger Woods just keeps on breaking the records.

NPR's Martin Kaste reports from Peru on the results of yesterday's presidential elections there. No candidate won a majority of the vote, and run-off elections between the top two are expected.

NPR Senior News Analyst Daniel Schorr says the hardening of the Chinese position is making President Bush's decision about arms sales to Taiwan more difficult.

As Europe fights the outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, American farmers are concerned about a possible spread of the disease to their livestock. The U.S. Department of Agriculture is working with states to develop a uniform, national response if the disease enters the U.S. NPR's Mary Ann Akers reports from Minnesota that many Midwest farmers are already wary.

Northwest Airlines has reached a tentative agreement with its mechanics union. As Minnesota Public Radio's Mark Zdechlik reports, some see the progress in negotiations as a victory for the Bush administration which refused to allow the Northwest workers to strike.

Commentator Brad Klein tells the story of a treetop mimic in New York City's Central Park. For several years, careful birdwatchers noticed that they heard the Black-Throated Green Warbler weeks before they saw it. This puzzled them -- until someone noticed that the Warbler's song was alternating with that of the White-Throated Sparrow.

NPR's Mike Shuster reports on Bush administration plans to propose changes to the UN embargo against Iraq. Washington's plan -- dubbed "smart sanctions" -- is intended to tighten controls on military exports to Baghdad while loosening restrictions on all other goods that benefit the Iraqi people.

Forty-five Armenian-Americans have filed a class action lawsuit against New York Life Insurance Company over unpaid life insurance policies that date back nearly 100 years. The policies were taken out by their ancestors -- who were killed by Turkish forces between 1915 and 1922. New York Life says it's paid the appropriate policies. Nevertheless a settlement is expected to be announced. The case has similarities to those involving unpaid policies taken out by victims of the Nazi Holocaust -- and could lead to other reparations. American Radio Works' Michael Montgomery reports.