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The Virginia Beach studio wizards known as the Neptunes have produced hit songs for everyone from Snoop Dogg to Britney Spears. But now the masters of the mixing board have hit the road with a real band and real instruments, calling themselves N.E.R.D. — for "no one ever really dies." NPR's Ben Gilbert reports.

Jazz critic Kevin Whitehead reviews the new reissue Black Christ of the Andes (Smithsonian label) by pianist Mary Lou Williams.

During a campaign stop in the battleground state of Missouri, President Bush faces criticisms over the new Medicare prescription-drug discount card. Critics say the program is too confusing and unlikely to attract those it could benefit the most -- low-income seniors. NPR's Julie Rovner reports.

Israel's attorney general has decided not to prosecute Prime Minister Ariel had been accused of accepting bribes from a real estate developer, but the attorney general concluded there was not enough evidence to pursue the case. Hear NPR's Peter Kenyon.

Slate senior editor Andy Bowers explains why some Wall Street Journal reporters withheld their bylines from stories for several days this week. It was a "byline strike" -- a mild form of labor action designed to get management's attention.

Weekend Edition Sunday music director Ned Wharton reviews the work of two artists with famous musician dads who're blazing their own unique paths: Emilie Berstein, daughter of film score composer Elmer Bernstein, and pianist Peter John Stoltzman, son of Grammy-winning clarinetist Richard Stoltzman.

Even if stem cell research could lead to a treatment for Alzheimer's disease, proponents face a number of political hurdles. Some of the most promising stem cells -- cells that can "learn" to become any type of cell in the human body -- come from human embryos. NPR's Mike Pesca analyzes who's pushing the issue, and who's just hoping it goes away.

A group claiming ties to al Qaeda beheads U.S. hostage Paul Johnson in Saudi Arabia. The 49-year-old engineer, an employee of Lockheed Martin working on Apache attack helicopter systems in the Saudi capital city of Riyadh, was taken hostage last weekend. His captors warned they would kill him unless al Qaeda suspects were released from jail. Hear NPR's Melissa Block and Knight Ridder correspondent Dave Montgomery.

Republican Jack Ryan, an investment banker-turned-teacher, and Democrat Barack Obama, currently a state senator, are competing in a closely watched Senate race that could potentially shape the balance of power in Congress. NPR's Cheryl Corley reports.

The three members of alt-country group Tres Chicas — Tonya Lamm, Caitlin Cary and Lynne Blakey — talk about their name, their music and their debut CD, Sweetwater. NPR's Elizabeth Blair reports.