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NPR's Renee Montagne talks with Richard Curtis of the charity group Comic Relief. He convinced Harry Potter author JK Rowling to write two Hogwarts textbooks for donation to the organization.

NPR's Phillip Martin reports on that the 2000 census results reflect a change in America's perception of race. This was the first census that allowed people to check more than one category of race and ethnicity.

NPR's Barbara Bradley reports that the Justice Department has given a federal prosecutor in New York jurisdiction to investigate all of then-President Clinton's last-minute pardons. Attorney General John Ashcroft has given U.S. Attorney Mary Jo White authority to look into any claims that cash or other benefits were exchanged for pardons.

China is in the final stage of wrapping up its 14-year bid to join the World Trade Organization. In his annual news conference at the National People's Congress, China's Trade Minister Shi Guangsheng told reporters today that the outcome of final negotiations was a foregone conclusion, but he shied away from setting a specific date for Beijing joining the world body. NPR's Rob Gifford reports from Beijing.

Noah Adams talks to Michael Kirst, a professor of education at Stanford University. He was co-chair of the technical committee that selected questions for the new California state high school exit test. He says that the test measures the minimum proficiency a student must demonstrate in English and math in order to graduate. Other states require a test for high school graduation. The tests in Virginia and Massachusetts, for example, are much harder than the California test.

Will he or won't he? South African President Mbeki is scheduled to speak to parliament tomorrow, where he may make a historic pronouncement regarding the AIDS health crisis. During the question time, he will be asked why the government hasn't yet declared a state of emergency, which would allow it to bypass international trade agreements and allow the importation and manufacture of cheaper, generic AIDS drugs. NPR's Brenda Wilson reports from Johannesburg.

A portrait of seediness and forgetfulness in the biggest little city in the world. Andrei Codrescu returns to the town where five years ago he was snowed in. Codrescu claims mountain lions came down to the town back then, but finds people don't remember that detail.

NPR's Madeleine Brand talks with Jef Beck, one of the world's foremost collector of Ken Dolls. Today is the 40th anniversary of Barbie's male counterpart.

Shlaim is the author of the new book, The Iron Wall: Israel and the Arab World. Shlaims book is a revisionist interpretation of Isreals policy toward the Arab world, based on newly released documents, and on interviews with policymakers and participants in events.

In the first of a two-part series, NPR's Peter Overby reports on the relationship between the oil industry and federal government. The two have a history that stretches back to the early 1900's. Tomorrow, Overby explores what the industry hopes to gain from a new president who got his start drilling oil in Texas.