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NPR's Eric Weiner reports on Iran's film industry. Despite restrictions on the portrayal of sex and violence that would leave American movie producers wondering how to fill a feature-length film, Iran manages to create award-winning movies that receive international recognition.

A new report released today by the General Accounting Office says the Internal Revenue Service had botched a multi-billion dollar modernization project. The project, to replace the agency's thirty-year-old computer system, has already cost taxpayers more than four billion dollars. The GAO says the new system is way over budget, far from being finished, and riddled with problems. NPR's John Nielsen reports.

Linda talks to Drew Gilpin Faust, author of "Mothers of Invention: Women of the Slaveholding South in the American Civil War." (University of North Carolina Press) The book tells the history of white slaveholding women whose lives changed dramatically because of the Civil War. In their letters and diaries, they talk about how they are not prepared to take on household tasks and manage slaves in the absence of their husbands. Even though they are anxious for the ward to end, they do not question the morality of slavery.

NPR's Eric Weiner reports on the fighting in Lebanon and the prospects for diplomacy in solving the confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah. Israeli Prime Minister says he will continue the shelling until Hezbollah stops its attacks, and other countries seem to be taking a wait-and-see attitude.

One of the most important...and controversial...West Coast sculptors of the 1950's through the '90's (but especially the 1960's), Kienholz (pronounced KEEN-holz) created life-sized tableaux comprised of casts of human figures and real objects in various settings: "Back Seat Dodge" and "The Illegal Operation" are perhaps his best-known....not to mention most self-explanatory...titles. The first major retrospective of his work EVER is at the Whitney Museum of Art in New York city now. Karen Michel reports

A 25th Anniversary celebration of All Things

Robert and Linda read letters from listeners. Letters can be addressed to ATC LETTERS - 635 Massachussetts Ave., NW, Washington DC 20001 or by E-mail at ATC@NPR.ORG.

NPR's Julie McCarthy analyzes whether the new US-Japan security pact will create a new, more active role for the Japanese military. Already a debate is beginning about whether the pact could eventually bend, or violate, Japan's pacifist constitution.

NPR's Peter Kenyon reports the Air Force T-43 carrying Secretary Ron Brown and delegation wasn't equipped with the so called black box or flight data recorder. The pentagon says that's because the aircraft was procured as a training aircraft...and so it didn't come with that euipment as civilian aircraft do.

NPR's Dan Charles explains how investigators go about trying to link a suspect to a bomb. Experts look for tell tale signs that distinguish one bomb from another, and then look for clues that tie those unique characteristics to a suspect.

In Los Angeles, arrests are markedly down over the past few years. No one knows exactly why, though there's no shortage of opinions. NPR's Mandelit DelBarco says olice chief Willie Williams attributes it to better policing, especially community policing involving citizens. But police officers say the fallout from the Rodney King beating and ensuing riots have made them less enthusiastic in pursuing suspects.

Commentator Bob Mondello takes a look at two movies that were honored at last week's Academy Awards. The Oscar for Best Documentary went to "Anne Frank Remembered," which is just beginning to appear in theaters. Last week also marked the American debut of a German drama called "Stalingrad," about the doomed Nazi battle to crush the Soviet Union.

the federal health insurance program for the poor, NPR's Vicky Que looks at a trend in some states to cut back or eliminate their own medical assistance programs which provide health care to the unemployed and working poor who are not covered by Medicaid. Is it a harbinger of what they might do with the federal program?

Janice Yeary [JAN-is YEER-ee] is a federal employee in Oklahoma City. She helped start and served as a volunteer at the child care center in the Murrah Building and then watched in horror as it collapsed a year ago. She has been amazed at the strength of Sharon and Scott Coyne, who lost their only child in the bombing. The Coyne's hosted a party at the sight of the bombing on what would have been their daughter's second birthday. Janice Yeary talks about what that event did to help her and others come to terms with their grief over their many losses.

NPR's Ted Clark reports that the US is giving China one week to show it is trying to stop piracy of US movies, movies, and computer software. The US is threatening to impose 100 percent tariffs on $2 billion worth of Chinese exports if the Chinese do not comply -- roughly the amount that American companies believe they lose each year to intellectual theft.

NPR'S Sylvia Poggioli reports from Rome on the trial of a former Nazi SS Captain charged with one of Italy's worst massacres during the second World War. Erich Priebke ((preeb-keh)) was extradited to Italy last November from Argentina. He stands accused for his part in killing of 335 men and boys near Rome in 1944.

Robert talks to author Brenda Stevenson about her book Family and Community in the Slave South. Which tells the story of Blacks and Whites in the early days of Loudon County, Virginia. She has found that contrary to many other histories, there is little evidence of strong nuclear family life among slaves. She says the cause is partly traced to the central role of extended family in west africa which precluded european-style nuclear family -- and the habit of slaveowners moving individual slaves around, destroying relationships.

Commentator Katherine Kersten is worried that with all the film versions of great novels, people might just stop reading. She says what you get from a good book can never be replaced by a film...a novel introduces you to the diversity of life and experience.

Commentator Daniel Pinkwater has noticed there is an enormous craze for cigars these days. A cigar culture has emerged to accompany the fad, which can be explored in cigar magazines like, "Cigar Afficianado."

Although the fishing season started last weekend in Wisconsin many of the northern lakes are still frozen. Nick Van der Puy [pie] found one fishing spot where anglers are catching walleye.