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Linda talks with Carl Ander (AHN-dur), the founder of "Gratistelefon" (GRAH-tiss-TELL-eh-fahn), a Swedish ad company that offers free long-distance phone service to customers willing to have their conversations interrupted occasionally by commercials. They talk about how this service yworks, whether a similar system could work here, and its phenomenal popularity in Sweden.

Jacki Lyden talks politics with editors of three national newspapers. Bob Kittle with the San Diego-Union Tribune, Mindy Cameron with hte Seattle Times, and Tom Bray with the Detroit News. Bob Dole is the focal point of this conversation, and most of these editors say their readers feel Dole made the right move when he announced his resignation from the Senate this week.

Korva talks with Fred Hay about his new book, Goin' Back to Sweet Memphis: Conversations with the Blues. As a college student in the early '70s, Hay recorded the stories and songs of several Memphis blues legends. All of them have passed on, but their stories remain in Hay's book. (Goin' Back to Sweet Memphis University of Georgia Press; ISBN: 0820323012)

Youth Radio commentator Nishat Kurwa visits her family's ancestral home in India's Gujarat State to attend her cousin's wedding. It's an arranged marriage, an idea that had long made American-born Kurwa uncomfortable. But the rich wedding festivities and conversations with her cousin about the benefits of arranged marriage have made her more open to the idea.

Like all good things, so too must end Luke Gorski's pilgrimage to visit all 66 Minnesota State Parks this summer. Luke joins Heidi Holtan and John Latimer one final time to recap the final five parks on Luke's voyage, and provide a peek at his "Parks by the Numbers". To hear the full conversation, click the "Listen" player above.

The House today took up legislation to avoid a third shutdown of the federal government. Temporary funding runs out at midnight tomorrow. NPR's Peter Kenyon reports that Republican efforts to include measures to satisfy their conservative members brought warnings from Democrats that this bill could force thousands of federal workers to be furloughed.

NPR's Linda Gradstein reports that the new Israeli transportation minister has announced plans to shut down one of Jerusalem's major thoroughfares during prayer hours on the Jewish Shabbat. The act has triggered concern among many Israelis that it is a sign of growing Jewish Orthodox power in Israel's new conservative government.

Recent Republican conventions have given new visibility to religious conservatives, who were finding a home and a power base as never before in the GOP. The role of religious activists has been far less prominent in Philadelphia this week. But that does not mean the Christian right has disappeared. NPR's Lynn Neary reports.

Massachusetts lawmakers begin debate on a constitutional amendment that would limit marriage to heterosexuals, following a ruling by the state's highest court giving same-sex couples the right to wed. In 12 other states, conservatives worried by the Massachusetts ruling are pushing for similar constitutional bans on gay marriage. NPR's Tovia Smith reports.

A new liberal radio network is scheduled to take to the airwaves Wednesday, March 31. Headlined by comedian Al Franken's new show "The O'Franken Factor," the Air America network aspires to offer an alternative to conservative talkers like Bill O'Reilly and Rush Limbaugh. Hear NPR's Robert Smith.

French voters will elect their new president this Sunday, in a run-off between the two winners of the first round, conservative Nicolas Sarkozy and socialist Segolene Royal. Both have been fighting for the center-ground of French politics. Most independent pollsters say they lean toward Royal, but Sarkozy is still ahead in the polls.

The Daily Beast is enjoying some success with an unusual pairing of reporters at the White House. Asawin Suebsaeng came from Mother Jones and Lachlan Markay wrote for a series of conservative publications before joining the publication. Editor-in-chief John Avlon says he thinks the pairing is helping their coverage stand out.

Just days after rejecting an invitation to make a brief video appearance at the Republican convention, conservative commentator Pat Buchanan today refused to endorse the man who beat him for the nomination, Bob Dole. Buchanan set out conditions the party will have to meet to keep him on board. NPR's Brian Naylor reports.

Conservative businessman Al Salvi stunned the state's Republican establishment when he beat the Lt. Governor in the primary. In a state with a history of electing moderate Republicans, Salvi's upset appears to complicate GOP plans to capture the seat being vacated by retiring Democratic Sen. Paul Simon. NPR's Cheryl Corley has the story.

Noah speaks with NPR's political correspondent Elizabeth Arnold, who has been been traveling with the Dole campaign. After his disappointing second place finish in New Hampshire Tuesday, Arnold says Dole will have to get tough to stop conservative rival Pat Buchanan from embarrassing him in upcoming primaries.

Daniel speaks with NPR's Elizabeth Arnold about what Bob Dole stands for and how his stand on issues has changed throughout his career. Arnold says that Dole has always been a fiscal conservative but that beyond that issue, he sees his role more as an effective legislature than as a political visionary.

All Things Considered reported Tuesday that Ford pulled ads for some of its cars from gay magazines at the same time a conservative Christian group called off its threatened boycott of Ford. The show takes a brief look at recent boycotts -- from political to commercial -- and what makes them successful or not.

Now that the Senate has passed the economic bailout plan, the bill has to go back before the House. But the bill carries many more tax cuts that conservative Democrats may have a hard time passing. Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel, chair of the Democratic caucus, says the momentum is moving from "no" to "yes."

Mexicans go to the polls Sunday to elect a new president. The vote will determine whether Mexico joins the region's leftward trend, or deepens free-market reforms and its already close alliance with the United States. Polls have shown the race will be close between leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador and conservative Felipe Calderon.