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Jennifer Ludden reports that Zaire's longtime ruler Mobutu Sese Seko returned from a four-month absence today. Tens of thousands of people welcomed him as he returned to the capital, Kinshasa. Mobutu has been receiving treatment for prostate cancer in Europe. While he was away a civil war erupted, and the rebellion threatens to split up one of Africa's largest nations.

John Biewen of Minnesota Public Radio reports on the rise of the so-called fringe banks...pawn shops and check cashing businesses which charge very high rates of interest and cater to the poor. An increasing number of poor families have no relationship with a traditional bank or savings and loan. Advocates for the poor say that higher and more pervasive fees are pushing the poor out of banks and into the pawn shops. Bankers disagree and suggest there are lots of reasons why poor people prefer "fringe" banking.

Commissioners in Miami are trying to sort out the city's troubled finances. With a sixty-eight million dollar deficit, the city is in a state of financial emergency. NPR's Debbie Elliott reports that Miami officials are now scrambling to collect fees to make up some of the shortfall.

Rock historian ED WARD tells us about bass player Carol Kaye who he says, in the early 1960s, "virtually invented electric bass playing."INT. 2: LAURA JOPLIN is the younger sister of the rock legend Janis Joplin. Her new book "Love XX Janis," (Villard Books) was inspired by a bundle of letters Laura found of her sister''s. This is the first time the letters are published. LAURA was six years younger than Janis, and was 21 when Janis died. There''s a new VH1 documentary series "Legends" about Janis Joplin in which Laura reads some of the letters of her sister. (It debuted Dec 2.) REV. 2 : Film critic JOHN POWERS reviews "The Crucible."

Daniel Schorr proposes a somewhat unorthodox way that President Clinton might raise money for his legal defense fund.

Senior news analyst Daniel Schorr says that there is much to be learned from previous hostage-taking situations.

NPR's Brooke Gladstone reports that the Supreme Court has agreed to decide on the constitutionality of the Communications Decency Act. Passed by Congress early this year as part of the massive Telecommunications law, the Act restricts the transmission of so-called indecent material on the Internet. A federal judge declared the Act violated free speech guarantees and blocked its enforcement. The Supreme Court will hear the government's appeal of that decision. A ruling is expected next summer.

NPR's Mary Kay Magistad reports that China is proceeding full speed ahead with construction of a gigantic dam at the site in the central part of the country. Chinese officials said the Three Gorges dam will help alleviate periodic flooding that rountinely kills thousands of people in China, but many environmentalists dispute that. They say the dam will disrupt the lives of thousands of people and do severe damage to the environment.

President Clinton's choice for defense secretary, retiring Senator William Cohen, is expected to win easy confirmation by the Senate. The Senate usually embraces nominations of former members. Plus, Cohen is a Republican, seeking the approval of the GOP-led body. Democrats are expected to support the appointment, in part because Cohen has been independent during his three terms, opposing Republican leaders on issues including the Iran-Contra affair. NPR's Elizabeth Arnold has a profile.

NPR's diplomatic correspondents... Ted Clark, Tom Gjelten and Mike Shuster... talk with Noah about the various world-wide challenges and unfinished business that President Clinton's new National Security staff will face in such arenas as Bosnia, the Middle East, NATO, Russia and China in the coming four years.

and healthier than it's been in years, the EPA plans to enact stricter standards. The agency wants to impose new restrictions on ozone and particulate emissions.

Robert talks with Maryam Elahi, the program officer for the Middle East, North Africa and Europe for Amnesty International. They discuss the report released this week about the torture of prisoners by the Palestinian Authority, and her visits to that region to check of reports of human rights abuses.