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Makers of several recent movies have experimented with the structure of story telling, finding new ways to develop plot lines. Film Critic Bob Mondello says the new film Memento is a perfect example.

Europe's concerns about foot-and-mouth disease, like its concerns about mad cow disease, are not shared in South America, which has some of the largest cattle herds in the world. The free-range herds do not eat imported animal products. So they are not likely to catch mad cow disease. Foot-and-mouth disease is prevalent in parts of South America but it is controlled by vaccination programs. Brazil cannot export its beef to regions free of foot-and-mouth, but people in Brazil enjoy their steak dinners more than ever.

With foot-and-mouth disease scaring many people away from beef, Europeans are increasingly turning to a different red meat -- kangaroo. Australian trade officials say they expect sales to Europe to rise by 20 percent this year. Linda Wertheimer talks with John Kelly, the development manager of the Kangaroo Industries Association in Australia.

NPR's Michele Kelemen reports from Kiev that Ukraine is going through its worst political crisis since the break-up of the Soviet Union. The now independent country has long been mired in corruption and economic hardship. But with revelations that President Leonid Kuchma may have rigged elections and ordered the disappearance of a murdered journalist, more and more Ukrainians are calling for his ouster. Despite a series of demonstrations in recent months, however, the opposition remains fractured and leaderless.

Commentator Walter Shapiro says he thinks President George W. Bush must be the most efficient man alive.

Joel Obermayer reports that the days of high pressure, back-slapping car salesmen may be numbered. Now many dealerships are training their staff to master the "soft sell," one where the consumer sets the pace. But some experts warn that consumers should be wary -- despite the change in technique, making money remains the primary goal of the sales staff.

NPR's Patricia Neighmond reports on a recent study of a synthetic version of estrogen that is thought to help post-menopausal women fight osteoporosis. The study suggests it may not be as effective as many researchers previously thought.

NPR's Rob Gifford reports that the Chinese government has arrested a computer analyst who is based in the U.S. The Chinese-born professor at the American University in Washington, D.C., who was traveling in China, is being charged with endangering national security.

NPR's Claudio Sanchez continues the series on literacy on Morning Edition with a visit to an Ohio school where students and teachers take standardized tests this month. Some educators complain that classroom curriculum focuses entirely on preparing students for performance tests, rather than developing critical thinking skills.

Critic Tom Manoff reviews Mikhail Pletnev, Live at Carnegie Hall. Manoff says Pletnev looks for the musical essence in every piece he plays, and probes the piano for every inch of sound and color, as if it were an orchestra. The electricity of the concert hall that night is very present on the recording. The audience responded with five encores, which are included on an extra disc with this release. The label is Deutsche Grammophon, copyright 2001.