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1:Host of ABC'S "Nightline" TED KOPPEL. He has a new memoir about his 16 years with the news show and his life before journalism. It's called "Nightline: History in the Making and the Making of Television" (Times Books, by Ted Koppel and Kyle Gibson). (THIS INTERVIEW CONTINUES INTO THE SECOND HALF OF THE

ock Critic KEN TUCKER reviews two books on punk rock. "Please Kill Me: The Uncensored History ofPunk," by Legs McNeil and Gilian McCain. Also "Go Now," by Richard Hell.

NPR's Mary Kay Magistad reports that today, China celebrated the 92th birthday of Deng Xiaoping. China's former leader is in frail health and though he remains a revered figure in Chinese history, many believe his role as the political center of China has passed to a new group of leaders, with a new vision for their country.

This year, the citizens of California have a dozen initiatives on the ballot in addition to their candidates for local and national office. These initiatives, if passed, create laws for the state without being passed through the state's legislature. Linda talks with David Magleby, a professor of political science at the Brigham Young University, about the history of the initiative process in state of California, and why the state (in some ways) leads the country in voting to enact new laws.

Host Liane Hansen speaks with Dr. ansine Kaba (lahn-see-NEH KAH-bah) about the immediate problem of returning efugees in Zaire, and the longer-term challenge of how the international ommunity and countries in Central Africa might resolve the region's political onflicts. Kaba is the Dean of the Honors College and a professor of History and frican-American studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Jackie talks to Zia Jaffrey about her new book The Invisibles, A Tale of the Eunuchs of India. The history of the Eunuchs or `hijras' as they are called in India, has never been documented. Jaffrey gives readers a glimpse into the culture of these castrated, cross-dressing men. She says even though she spent many months in India interviewing them and collecting information on this closed group of people, Jaffrey says much about the Hijras remains as mystery.

The Songwriters Hall of Fame gives Jimmy Webb the Johnny Mercer Award for "a history of outstanding creative works." Among his classics: "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," "Galveston" and "Wichita Lineman." NPR's Scott Simon offers an appreciation.

Israeli journalist David Horovitz is the editor of Jerusalem Report, has just released a new book A Little Too Close to God (Knopf). It chronicles the last 20 years he's spent living in Israel. It also examines the ramifications of the country's history on its culture. He was the recipient of the B'nai B'rith International Award for journalism in 1994.

Today, according to statements from the Taliban in Afghanistan, ancient Buddhist statues carved into a mountain have been destroyed despite attempts by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan to prevent it. Host Lisa Simeone talks with Humanities Professor Crispin Sartwell who says that destruction of idols has a long tradition in Western history. (5:00).

NPR's Senior News Analyst Daniel Schorr examines the relationship between Secretary of State Colin Powell and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld. While it's too early to tell whether there will be a foreign policy "contest" in the Bush White House, history indicates that consensus can be hard to reach when two strong personalities are involved.