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Linda interviews Alexandra Nechita (nuh-KEE-ta)...a ten year old artist...and her parents. Young Nechita has been compared to Picasso-- she is an abstract artist whose paintings are selling for thousands of dollars. She is doing a huge tour for the book of her paintings called "Outside the Lines" and giving dozens and dozens of interviews. Despite all the attention, she is looking forward to going home, seeing her baby brother and taking him to Chuck E. Cheese's pizza parlor.

NPR's Mark Roberts reports on a drama that's moved offstage in Boulder, Colorado and before the city council. A recent ordinance bans smoking in public places, and a few theater-goers filed complaints after actors lit up onstage during a performance of "Grand Hotel" at a dinner theater. The city says the law's the law; the theater claims it's censorship. The city council is set to take up the issue today.

As leaders of the seven major industrialized countries gather in Lyon, France for the annual G-7 economic summit, they'll have one eye cast on the problem of slow economic growth in Europe, especially in Germany...the country that has long been the continent's economic powerhouse. German unemployment is near eleven percent, and economic growth has been stagnant for at least six months. NPR's John Ydstie (ID-stee) talks with businesspeople and workers about the growing debate in Germany over how to create new jobs. While many economists say the country's labor costs are too high and that Germany's social welfare state is too generous, German workers fear they're being blamed for a problem that's really the fault of a government intent on pleasing each special interest group with its own social program.

The Air Force unit attacked in Dhahran was there as part of the unfinished business of the Gulf War. But the attack is not expected to generate any change in US policy in the Gulf area, or threaten US relations with Saudi Arabia. NPR's Ted Clark has a report.

Linda talks with U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria Walter Carrington about the investigation into the killing of Nigeria opposition leader Moshood Abiola's (ma-SHOOD ah-bee-OH-la) wife. He says it was clearly an assassination, but the individuals involved...and the motive behind the killing...remain a mystery. Carrington says that the US and other countries should continue to try to bring the military government into line by enacting sanctions, but that events like this feed fears that Nigeria faces further instability.

that the state-funded Virginia Military Institute could no longer exclude women.

Susan speaks with James Baker, secretary of state during the Bush administration about Benjamin Netanyahu's speech. Baker says that many of the words he heard today made him hopeful, but that it's unclear whether Netanyahu will follow up on his promises.

NPR's Eric Westervelt reports on the so-called empowerment zones that were unveiled...in this incarnation...by the Clinton Administration with big fanfare two years ago. They were touted as a way to use tax credits and social service block grants to revitalize blighted urban areas. Now, some are pointing to Philadelphia, which was one of six sites which qualified for "empowerment zone" money, as an example of how the program has succeeded. But critics say the concept may not be working.

NPR's Linda Gradstein reports that US Secretary of State Warren Christopher met with new Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (n'tahn-YAH-hoo), but failed to get sought-for assurances that Netanyahu would honor his predecessor's peace process commitments.

In northeastern Mississippi where two black churches were burned last week near the town of Kossuth, both black and white residents have rallied to support the black congregations. Race relations have been generally smooth in Alcorn County, but local leaders fear the fires may have been set to create conflict between the races. NPR's Debbie Elliot reports.