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Senate Republican leaders spent the day seeking ways to bring two or three of their members back into the partisan fold on President Bush's budget and tax cut proposals. Yesterday, an amendment supported by Senate Democrats and a few Republicans reduced Mr. Bush's signature tax cut by nearly 30 percent. But a second threat to the budget is brewing in the spending increases embodied by more than 120 pending amendments. NPR's David Welna reports from the Capitol.

NPR's Michele Norris talks with Craig Smith, reporter for the New York Times, in Umm Qasr in southern Iraq. Smith spoke with a Shiite cleric who told him that Ba'ath Party officials in Basra are seeking a way to surrender. The cleric says that the party officials have no support among Iraqi people there and are worried about mob violence against them if they step down.

Mel Gibson's film The Passion of The Christ -- which seeks to portray the last 12 hours of Jesus Christ's life -- has prompted awkward Vatican denials that Pope John Paul II warmly endorsed the movie after a private viewing. NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports.

Many Kurds distrust the Arab-dominated interim government now in charge of Iraq and feel betrayed by a lack of guarantees over the future of their autonomy. Although most Kurds would prefer independence, Kurdish leaders are seeking a compromise that would allow Kurdistan to be part of an Iraqi federation. Hear NPR's Ivan Watson.

After Title 42 ended earlier this month, the process of seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border has become a bit more complicated.

Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson issued a sweeping proposal to overhaul how U.S. financial companies are regulated. The proposal does not address the immediate crisis, but seeks to lessen the impact of crises in the future.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates hold a day of talks with Arab officials in Egypt and Saudi Arabia to seek support on Iraq and try to revive the Mideast peace process.

NPR's Linda Gradstein in Jerusalem reports a U.S. led commission of inquiry into the ten weeks of Israeli-Palestinian violence began its work today, holding separate meetings with Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. The head of the commission, former U.S. Senator George Mitchell, says the group will seek ways to reduce the violence and bring the two sides back to the negotiating table.

Kenyans go to the polls Friday to elect a new president. A constitutional amendment prevents President Daniel arap Moi from seeking another term, and he's stepping down after 24 years in power. The elections also could unseat the Kenya African National Union, the ruling party since the nation's independence from Britain in 1963. NPR's Jason Beaubien reports.

NPR's Barbara Bradley talks with host Lisa Simeone from Tallahassee. Ahead of Monday's showdown in Florida's Supreme Court, the Bush legal team has filed papers aimed at stopping the hand recount. The Republicans argue that Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris has authority to certify election results without accepting hand recounts. In response, Democrats say they seek a "generous" standard for deciding what voters really meant.