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Host John Ydstie talks to Earl Hamner, Jr., the man behind the legendary TV series The Waltons, about some serious trouble brewin' at the Walton Mountain Museum in Schulyer, Virginia.

This week PBS will present Benjamin Franklin, an unblinking look at the remarkable founding father whose industriousness furthered the cause of science and whose diplomatic skills helped win American independence. NPR's Steve Inskeep talks with documentary writer Ron Blumer and Ellen Hovde.

An El Al airplane lands safely in Istanbul after security guards overpower a man who tried to storm the cockpit hijack the aircraft, which carried 168 people. The plane was heading from Tel Aviv to Istanbul. NPR's Ivan Watson reports.

Businesses and insurance companies hope the Republican Congress will bring a renewed push to reform the system of class-action litigation. NPR's Rachael Myrow reports.

Jad Abumrad reports on a recent controversy at Columbia University's Journalism School that has sparked a larger debate over the future of the news business. The university's new president Lee Bollinger has questioned the hands-on emphasis of the school's curriculum, concerned that skills training may be denying students exposure to the theory-driven side of journalism. But faculty insist that they offer students a complete education, and argue that the climate in today's professional press make practical training a must.

The updated edition of the Oxford Dictionary of Phrase, Saying and Quotation is down with Gen X and, like President Bush, "ready for any unforseen event which may... or may not happen."

The FBI warns that al Qaeda may be planning what the FBI terms a "spectacular" terrorist attack. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice says Americans should "remain vigilant" and that U.S. authorities are working behind the scenes to protect the nation's "critical infrastructure." NPR News reports.

The Senate continues debate today on legislation to create a new Department of Homeland Security. The House has already passed the measure that will lead to the biggest government reorganization in more than 50 years. NPR's Pam Fessler reports.

Argentina suffers a setback in its ongoing struggle to get out of debt. President Eduardo Duhalde says the nation can pay $79 million in interest on its World Bank loan, but won't be able to make the $805 million loan payment. Scott Goldberg reports from Buenos Aires.

The House passes a measure that provides federal insurance in the event of another catastrophic terrorist attack. Under the program, the insurance industry's liability would be capped at $15 billion. The federal government would cover up to 90 percent of claims above the $15 billion cap. NPR's Kathleen Schalch reports.