Sunday marked the 100th anniversary of the African National Congress, which is known for Nelson Mandela's message of equality, as well as recent accusations of government corruption. Host Michel Martin discusses the ANC's complex history with Crystal Orderson of the South African Broadcasting Corporation.

The family of Amir Mirzaei Hekmati says he went to Iran to visit his grandmothers. Iran says he came to spy. The U.S. has demanded he be released. In other news, Iran claims it has started enriching uranium.

Small businesses account for more than 70 percent of Italy's gross domestic product. But they haven't been growing. One example is the country's famed accordion industry, which has enjoyed a resurgence — but also wants to stay small.

For decades, the U.S. sought stability in the Middle East. But the upheavals of the past year have left the region in flux, and the U.S. is trying to define a new policy for dealing with changes that are still playing out.

There are calls on Capitol Hill to scale back U.S. military aid to Egypt. Congress is furious over Egyptian raids on American democracy promotion groups, and some lawmakers accuse the Obama administration of being too timid in its response. As NPR's Michele Kelemen reports, several U.S.-funded, non-governmental groups have had their offices in Cairo shuttered for more than a week.

In Afghanistan, President Hamid Karzai is demanding that the United States hand over control of a prison facility that houses about 3,000 inmates. An Afghan commission has alleged abuse of prisoners there, and says that conditions violate the Afghan constitution. The demands may have more to do with a growing animosity between President Karzai and Washington, however, as NPR's Kabul bureau chief Quil Lawrence tells host Rachel Martin.

With Iran threatening to block U.S. ships from entering the Persian Gulf and the United States vowing not to back down, the stage seems to be set for war. And yet, what's happening with Iran right now may be more of an economic confrontation than a military standoff.

A new law that went into effect Jan. 1 allows shops, cafes and restaurants to stay open 24/7, all year long, holidays included. But Italian customs can be hard to break, and opponents argue deregulated hours will create problems for small businesses.