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NPR's John Burnett is in Ft. Davis, Texas, the site of a standoff between law enforcement officials and some members of The Republic of Texas separatist group. The group had held two people hostage until this morning. Members have retreated into the West Texas mountains. They are also wanted on a variety of civil and criminal charges related to bad checks and bogus liens on property all over the state.

Commentator Ralph Schoenstein laments the fact Nabisco Animal Crackers are not cut out anymore, but are bas relief renderings of animals on rectangles. He calls the president of the company, who denies they ever were cut out. He wonders where this trend is headed.

NPR's Don Gonyea reports on this morning's reopening of a main bridge linking Grand Forks, North Dakota with East Grand Forks, Minnesota. The bridge had been closed since April 18 and its closing meant a drive of more than 150 miles just to get across the Red River. Many people who had been trapped on one side of the river were reunited with their families and co-workers today.

NPR's Laurie Neff reports that a decision by Israel's cabinet to transfer a portion of West Bank territory to Palestinian control has further enraged the Palestinian people. They say Israel is not handing over enough territory. The Palestinians already were angry over Israel's decision to expand Jewish neighborhoods in Arab East Jerusalem.

Musical History is being made in Wales with the performace of the first Japanese male choir singing in Japanese. The BBC's Tim Hersh reports.

a former senior official at the Department of Health and Human Services, about the welfare reforms enacted last summer. A friend of President Clinton's, Edelman resigned in protest when the bill was signed into law. He's written an article critical of the new welfare rules. Edelman agrees with the aim of the reforms...to get people off welfare and back to work...but he says the changes don't provide enough help.

Commentator Alan Cheuse reviews "Payback," a debut novel by Thomas Kelly about two Irish brothers caught up in the struggle between honest labor and mob corruption. Publisher is Knopf.

Daniel talks with William Quandt, former Middle East Advisor on the National Security Council, about the Israeli-Palestinian fight for control of East Jerusalem. Negotiations will begin soon over who will rule the ancient city. This past week, Israel announced that it would break ground on a new housing project especially earmarked for Jews. Quandt, currently Professor of Government at the Univerity of Virginia, says Israel is trying to predetermine the outcome of those negotiations by creating immovable "facts on the ground."

As Shanghai's World Expo readies to open May 1, the final countdown is on. And after an eight-year build-up, Shanghai is suffering from the tyranny of high expectations.

James Rebanks' new book Pastoral Song urgently conveys how the drive for cheap, mass-produced food has impoverished both small farmers and the soil, threatening humanity's future.