States across the country are struggling with billions of dollars in budget gaps. Now many of them are looking at ways to raise revenue by expanding some form of gambling. Massachusetts is considering a bill that would license two resort-style casinos and bring slot machines to four of the state’s racetracks. 

• FINANCIAL TAKEOUT:  The National Bureau of Economic Research is going to release a statement later today that says that they don't know when, or even if, our nation's current recession came to an end. New York Times Wall Street and finance reporter Story Louise Story joins us with more from this Times' Exclusive.
• LISTENERS TAKEOUT: You called in with ideas on how to fix your city or town's budgetary woes.

We take look at what's ahead this week with Marcus Mabry of The New York Times and Latoya Peterson of the blog Racialicious. This week, President Obama hosts a nuclear security summit while the first lady travels to Mexico. The White House may soon reveal possible nominees to take Justice Stevens' seat on the nation's most honorable bench. And a new dating show hits VH1.

The first multi-party elections held in Sudan in two decades began Sunday. In a complex three-day balloting process, Sudanese are choosing not only their president, but also their national and state assemblies, their governors and other local officials.

Last week, we were struck by the shocking story of a six-year-old girl in Oregon whose death has been labeled a suicide. We wondered: Is it really possible for a first-grader to suffer from suicidal tendencies? And to deliberately take her own life?

Supreme Court correspondent for The New York Times, Adam Liptak on replacing Justice Stevens; this morning's headlines.

Justice John Paul Stevens announced on Friday that he will retire this June, after spending 35 years on the bench. Democrats say they want to move quickly into the nomination process in order to have the next justice confirmed by the end of the summer.

• FINANCIAL TAKEOUT:  It's a case of "who watches the watchmen" when The New York Times' Louise Story joins the show with a damning new report that shows how regulators missed major problems at Washington Mutual.  
• SPORTS TAKEOUT: All eyes were on golf this weekend, but the spotlight wasn't necessarily on Tiger Woods. The Takeaway's Sports contributor Ibrahim Abdul-Matin discusses the performance that landed Phil Mickelson his third Masters victory.

Poland is reeling after Saturday's plane crash that killed 96 people, including the Polish president, Lech Kaczynski, and many of the country's top military, parliamentary, artistic and symbolic leaders. The group was traveling to Katyn for a 70 year remembrance of the worst massacre in WWII history.  

In rural village of Khataba Afghanistan, one bereaved man, scarred more than most by the war, became the recipient of an unusual American apology.

The top U.S. special operations commander Afghanistan, Vice Adm. William McRaven traveled to the village to ask for forgiveness. He offered condolences to Haji Sharabuddin, the patriarch of a family that lost  five members when a U.S. special forces raid went awry. But it wasn't the personal appearance of top brass that made the moment so unusual, it was that the American forces made a traditional Afghan offering of two sacrificial sheep. 

Many have discussed the "branding" of President Obama, but the danger is that brands can get tarnished. We hear from Graham Button, creative designer for Genesis Inc. in Denver Colorado. He is one of the world's leading brand designers and explains what makes a "brand" so important. He tells us that he is impressed by the new Obama brand and why it is unique to the presidency.