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NPR's Kate Seelye in southern Lebanon reports on the Shiite Muslim holiday of Ashura when men whip and mutilate themselves to honor a seventh century martyr. There is increasing opposition to this ritual bloodletting both from Iran's influential Shiite leaders and from the Lebanese guerrilla group, Hizbollah.

The Post Office is considering cutbacks in an effort to reduce its costs. Among the ideas on the table, is stopping Saturday delivery. Linda talks with Dave Hirschman, who covers the U.S. Postal Service for the Atlanta Journal and Constitution.

Funded by a million dollar government grant, the Anti-Defamation League, The Leadership Conference Education Fund, and the Center for the Prevention of Hate Violence will be looking at new ways to use technology to prevent hate crimes. NPR's Lynn Neary reports the program begins with an interactive Web site.

NPR's Vicky O'Hara reports China continues to hold 24 U.S. service men and women and their surveillance plane, which was damaged in a mid-air collision with a Chinese jet fighter on Sunday. Today, the United States issued a conciliatory statement expressing regret that a Chinese pilot was apparently killed in the accident. But the U.S. stopped short of an apology. It says the U.S. crew was not to blame for the collision.

With Passover approaching this weekend, the search is on by many Jewish families for Kosher beef brisket for their Passover Seder. Brisket has become the traditional Passover entree for many families. But with changes in imports because of foot-and-mouth disease and a fire at a Kosher slaughterhouse in Kansas, brisket is in extremely short supply this year. Robert Siegel talks with Jay Parker, owner of Ben's Best Kosher Deli in Rego Park, Queens, New York.

NPR's Richard Knox reports on a new plan issued by Harvard University to bring AIDS treatments to the developing world. It spells out ways to rapidly expand the distribution of AIDS drugs, after new discounts offered by drug companies. But activists say the plan is too conservative and falls short of what's needed to save the lives of tens of millions of people with HIV in the developing world.

Brian Bull of South Dakota Public Radio reports on the fight over Spirit Mound, a key site on the Lewis and Clark trail. With the trail bicentennial coming up, some want to make it an upgraded tourist site. But some Indian tribes consider it sacred and don't want millions of tourists walking there.

A day before Game 3 of the World Series, the animal rights organization released a statement saying the term "bullpen" is insensitive to cows and bulls. The suggestion drew mixed reactions.

TV critic DAVID BIANCULLI reviews the premiere of the new Comedy Central sitcom about life in the Bush Whitehouse, –Thats My Bush— by the creators of –South Park.—

Members of Congress today asked NASA whether the agency can contain cost overruns for the International Space Station. The White House wants NASA to curtail construction on the station in order to make up for budget problems. Some members of Congress seem worried that the station won't be much good if it's missing key components. NPR's Larry Abramson reports.

Around the country, there's a rush on this month to get married. NPR's Mandalit delBarco reports a last minute action by the Clinton administration has immigrants rushing to tie the knot. Under provision 245-i an immigrant without permanent residency status who marries someone who is a legal resident or citizen will not have to leave the U.S. in order to legitimize their immigration status. But the provision only lasts until the end of April.

In an effort to stabilize their economies, a number of South American countries have fixed the value of their currencies to the American dollar. In Argentina, for example, bank customers can get their money in either pesos or U.S. dollars. They're worth the same amount. But there's a downside to the move -- those countries have essentially ceded control over their economies. Some of them are now reconsidering the idea. NPR's Martin Kaste reports.