Chinese activist Chen Guangcheng, whose escape from house arrest sparked a diplomatic crisis between the U.S. and China, is coming to America. With his wife and two children, he abruptly boarded a plane bound for Newark, N.J., early this morning.

With NASA's help, SpaceX is trying to send the first commercial spaceship to the International Space Station. The launch was aborted Saturday morning, but there will be another opportunity on Tuesday. Host Scott Simon speaks with NPR's Nell Greenfieldboyce.

Facebook's culture and the nature of its business will inevitably change after it goes public. Its finances will be much more open to scrutiny. NPR's Steve Henn tells host Scott Simon that because founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg owns so much of Facebook's stock, he will continue to have significant autonomy from Wall Street's demands.

Early investors like investment banks and venture capitalists already own shares of Facebook. Some are even starting to sell. Now small investors get their chance to buy with Friday's IPO. NPR's Sonari Glinton checks in with a few of them on the first day of trading.

Katie Beckett died Friday morning in the same hospital where she'd once made history. Beckett was 3 years old when her case changed health care law. She was 34 when she died. NPR's Joseph Shapiro explains why she was important to other children with disabilities.

In the NBA, the Miami Heat have a lot to prove against the Indiana Pacers, and in the NHL, the L.A. Kings are proving it. Plus, a farewell to Cub pitcher Kerry Woods. Host Scott Simon talks to ESPN columnist Howard Bryant about the week in sports.

The 137th running of the Preakness takes place Saturday afternoon in Baltimore. Kentucky Derby winner I'll Have Another is vying for the second jewel in horse racing's Triple Crown. The horse, his trainer and his owner all hail from Southern California, and NPR'S Carrie Kahn reports hopes are high that a big win will give a much-needed boost to horse racing in the Golden State.

This week's G-8 summit comes at a time when all of the member countries face tough economic and political problems. Ian Bremmer, president of Eurasia Group, questioned what the G-8 can accomplish in an article for ForeignPolicy.com. Host Scott Simon talks with Bremmer about whether the group still matters.

The Group of Eight is meeting at Camp David this weekend. The setting is leisurely, but there's nothing relaxing about the timing of the summit. While leaders may agree about the need for growth in the debt-ridden European economy, addressing the crisis is easier said than done.

The privately funded, unmanned spacecraft was attempting its first flight to the International Space Station. The spacecraft had a one-second window to take off, and the failed launch means it won't be trying again for at least a few days.

Life can become a whole lot happier for trainer Doug O'Neill if Derby winner I'll Have Another wins the Preakness. A victory over 8-5 morning-line favorite Bodemeister and nine other rivals would set up a Triple Crown attempt in the Belmont Stakes.

It's a good time to brew beer in America. According to beer expert Julia Herz, U.S. brewing isn't just on the upswing, it's on top. "We're now the No. 1 destination for beer, based on diversity and amount of beers," she says. And the industry's fastest growth is in craft breweries.

A state court in Indianapolis granted a Chinese immigrant $50,000 bond in a case that has mobilized advocates for women's rights and abortion rights nationwide. The case could set a precedent for the prosecution of pregnant women whose infants die.