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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.

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."

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

about her friend and colleague Ron Brown.

Montana about the two-week-old standoff between the FBI and members of the anti-government group called the Freemen.

revelations that the White House turned a blind eye to Iran shipping arms into Bosnia to aid the government in Sarajevo.

founders of the on-line computer investment forum known as the Motley Fool. The brothers say they started the service to help independent stock market investors gather information which can improve their chances of making more profitable choices.

are moving towards an agreement on funding for several government departments that do not have permanent funding through the end of the year. But the President is threatening to veto any bills that have environmental riders attached.

administers it's DNA repository. They've been collecting blood samples from the military to help identify remains of soldiers killed in the field. Critics worry there are insufficient safegurds to protect the confidentiality of the samples. Despite the changes in the system, two Marines still face a court martial for refusing to give samples of their blood to the Pentagon's repository.

tension between North and South Korea. North Korea has sent troops into the demilitarized zone over the past three days.

Senior News Analyst Daniel Schorr examines the relationship between law enforcement and the press- one that can become too close in a world of image conscious federal authorities and fiercely competitive news organizations.

a world without clocks where time stands still.

Details of the General Motors and United Auto Workers agreement were announced this afternoon. The U.A.W. won a promise that more employees will be hired at the Dayton parts plants and the company reinforced its right to hire outside suppliers. Robert speaks with NPR's Don Gonyea about the agreement.

Kenneth Woodward, about the cover story he wrote for this week's edition of the magazine, titled, "Rethinking the Resurrection." They discuss the latest developments in the debate among theologians. Next week in New York, a number of prominent Biblical scholars will hold a five-day meeting, which they are calling a "Resurrection Summit."

some of its evaluation processes. The new policy only deals with low risk medical devices like gloves and thermometers... but there are bills before Congress that would allow high risk devices like heart valves to be evaluated by private companies.

about the detention of the Unabomber suspect... and the 18 years of terror he is accused of.

at the Smithsonian Museum of American History on chocolate. There was a lecture, a few history lessons, and of course, plenty of taste-testing.

the author of a book about the FBI, about how Director Louis Freeh and his deputies are doing. Kessler says they have learned from various mistakes and are improving with experience. But, he says, even though the FBI is more open and honest, Freeh's deputies continue to over-protects him and the Bureau from public criticism.

Next week, Congress will vote on a bill that will result in a historic overhaul of the farm programs. Linda talks with Republican Congressman Pat Roberts of Kansas, who is the chair the House Agriculture Committee and who has been working out the details of this seven-year plan to ween farmers off the subsidy government programs. The bill will end traditional price-based subsidies and the government planting controls that control them. The bill is expected to pass through the House and Senate and President Clinton is expected to sign the bill.

NPR's John Burnett reports that the status quo is under attack in the automobile retailing industry. The used-car "superstore" is coming to America...and industry analysts say this new kind of dealership is already changing the used-car business. Consumers seem to like the low-pressure, fixed price shopping environment...even if they don't always get the best deal. (7:30) FUNDER 0:29 CUTAWAY 0:59 =========================SECOND HOUR======================= BILLBOARD :59 NEWS 2:59 NEWS 1:59 THEME MUSIC 0:29 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2A 9. CHRISTOPHER IN MOSCOW -- NPR's Anne Garrels reports from Moscow where U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher met today with Russian President Boris Yeltsin. Christopher is in Russia to organize next month's nuclear issues summit between Yeltsin and President Clinton. Christopher says the talks made "excellent progress" toward a total ban on nuclear testing and "substantial progress" on a treaty controlling conventional forces in Europe.

Mary Kay Magistead reports from Taiwan that President Lee Teng-hui won today's election, the first fully democratic vote in the island's history. Lee, who was appointed president eight years ago by Taiwan's parliament, gained more than 50 percent of the vote, an unexpectedly large margin. The vote took place in the face of threats from China, threats in the form of missile tests and military exercises.