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Linda talks with South African journalist Stephanie Bothma (BOT-ma) about the opening today of the murder trial of South Africa's former defense minister and several other former senior military officials. Magnus Malan (muh-LAWN) and the other defendants pleaded not guilty to the charge that they orchestrated a 1987 massacre of apartheid opponents. The trial has caused a sensation in South Africa; Malan is the highest-ranking former apartheid official to be put on trial.

SUSAN TALKS WITH NPR'S LINDA WERTHEIMER ABOUT THE WEEK'S POLITICAL NEWS AND SYNDICATED COLUMNIST GEORGIE ANN GEYER ABOUT THE REST OF THE WEEK'S NEWS.

HEAD LICE: Essayist Susan Arnout (AR-no) Smith tackles some of the shared" problems of child-rearing.

Using scrap tires as fill to build roads is becoming a popular way to solve the nationwide surfeit of used tires. But Jennie Schmidt of member station K-P-L-U in Seattle reports that two roads built with tire chips have been burning for months, and leaching noxious chemicals into nearby water. It could put an end to this novel form of recycling.

- along the Via Dolorsa [VEE-uh doh-lah-ROH-suh]... the path Jesus walked to his death, this walk is referred to in a Christian Meditation known as the Stations of the Cross. Commentator Sister Maureen Fiedler sees the Stations of the Cross in the modern world in the faces of those who are unemployed, sick and destitute.

The Europop band called Blur has been immensely popular in Britain for nearly seven years - yet the band can't seem to crack the U.S. market. Some say their music is too happy ...others say it's too snide. Rick Karr profiles the band and tries to find out just what it is.

Liane Hansen speaks with singer Dar Williams, who talks about er music and performs a selection in our studio. Her new CD is titled "Mortal ity" (Razor & Tie RT 2821-2)

of a woman from Southern Africa, known as the "Hottentot Venus," who was exhibited at freak shows in France during the early 1800's. The South African government wants a French museum to return Saartjie Baartmann's remains, as well as a plaster replica of her body.

and the growing disparity between the richest and poorest sections of society.

NPR's John Burnett reports on the controversy over whether a convicted sex offender in Texas should be surgically castrated. Larry Don McQuay, who's about to be released from prison, says he'll molest more children unless he's castrated... and there's been controversy over whether the state should sanction this kind of operation, and whether it will stop him from offending again.