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Host Bob Edwards talks with Peter Marks who writes about political ads for the "New York Times." They discuss the content of television ads run by the Presidential candidates and their parties during the remaining weeks of the Presidential race.

NPR's Pat Dowell profiles actress Ellen Burstyn, who's getting favorable reviews for her new television program, "That's Life," and her new movie, "Requiem for a Dream." Burstyn appears in another new movie, "The Yards," which opens tomorrow in New York and Los Angeles. She has several more projects in the works.

Commentator Kevin Phillips talks about the connection between oil, technology, and wealth in the United States.

NPR's Tom Gjelten reports on changes in U.S. trade policy toward Cuba. Last night, the Senate gave final approval to a bill that modestly eases the trade embargo on Cuba. It will allow sales of food to Cuba for the first time in four decades, but bars the federal government or U.S. banks from financing shipments.

NPR's Don Gonyea reports from the road with the AFL-CIO. The labor federation has its leaders on a nation-wide bus tour this fall to help elect pro-union candidates. The trip started in West Virginia with stump speeches at union halls and cook-outs to get out the vote.

NPR's Richard Knox reports on clues to the earth's formation that are falling from the sky. Last January, a real estate agent in Canada witnessed the crash of a meteorite he described as a gigantic white light from the sky. A week later an amateur scientist discovered pieces of the meteorite, collected and preserved them in the freezer. Scientists now say it's the best sample they have yet to study how the earth was formed.

NPR's Anne Garrels reports from Belgrade that Yugoslavia's new president Vojislav Kostunica met with a special U.S. envoy, James O'Brien, today and expressed hope for a normalization in relations. In Washington, President Clinton announced a lifting of sanctions against Serbia, including an oil embargo and flight ban. His moves were welcomed not only by president Kostunica but by ordinary Serbs, who will face a long, cold winter without help from the international community.

In the past ten years, one third of the executions in the United States have been carried out in the state of Texas. Since 1924, executions in Texas have taken place in the Walls Unit in Huntsville. The Warden of that prison, Jim Willett, narrates a documentary titled Witness to an Execution. It includes first hand accounts from the men and women who participate in and witness executions as part of their jobs. Guards, chaplains and reporters talk about their work -- detailing what occurs in the minutes before, during and after the execution. The prison employees say they do the job because the vast majority of citizens want it done. Most are affected by the work. Some reach the breaking point and find they can no longer work in the system.

The USS Cole was crippled by a terrorist attack half a world away, but the emotional damage is being felt hardest in its port of origin. NPR's Mary Ann Akers reports from Norfolk Virginia where families of the servicemen on the destroyer converged on the Navy base to receive news of their loved ones.

NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports from Jerusalem where the violence escalated yesterday with the killings of at least two Israeli soldiers by a Palestinian mob in the West Bank town of Ramallah, followed by reprisal attacks from Israeli combat helicopters.

NPR's Linda Gradstein reports on the Israeli political Left. The last two weeks of conflict between Israelis and Palestinians have divided liberal politicians who previously supported the peace process.

South Korean president Kim Dae-Jung has won of the Nobel Peace Prize this morning. The Nobel committee recognized Kim for his promotion of democracy and human rights after years of authoritarian rule in South Korea, as well as his work towards peaceful relations with North Korea. NPR's Eric Weiner reports from Tokyo on the award.

Robert talks to Patrick Clawson, Director for Research at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, and then with Ze'ev Schiff, a military analyst for the daily Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz, about a call by Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak for a "unilateral separation" of Israelis and Palestinians. They discuss the pros and cons of the proposal. Clawson says separating Israelis and Palestinians would bring stability to the region, while Schiff says separating the two peoples is practically impossible, and might not end the violence.

NPR's Steve Inskeep at the Pentagon reports U.S. officials are continuing an investigation into yesterday's terrorist attack on a navy destroyer in the Arabian port of Aden. The wounded sailors and the bodies of those killed in the blast are being flown home.

Robert talks with Jacob Weisberg, Chief Political Correspondent for the online magazine, Slate, about two political ads that are dry, side-by-side comparisons of the candidates' tax and spending plans. Weisberg says that this is a carry over from the Democratic convention, when Al Gore was seen to have succeeded by sticking with policy. Two other ads -- more elaborately produced with musical scores -- aim to leave the impression that their candidate is warm and inclusive while the other candidate's policies are exclusionary. (6:30) Slate magazine can be found on-line at http://slate.msn.com

Host Bob Edwards talks with Rami Khouri, an Amman-based journalist and an expert on the Middle East, about the latest situation in the region.

Jean Shortall-Roznik thinks there are some parents who should just admit their kids aren't worth bragging about.

N-P-R's Jon Hamilton reports on a promising development in AIDS research. Scientists at Harvard have designed a vaccine that helps create killer T-cells specially programmed to recognize and attack HIV infection.

NPR's David Welna reports that Minnesotans in the Saint Paul area are being treated to one of the more surprising campaigns this election season. Three candidates are vying for the district's seat in the U.S. House of Representatives -- a democrat, a republican and a member of the Independence party founded by Jesse Ventura. Any of the three could come away with the victory, and for the fledgling Independence party, a win might silence critics that claim the party exists in name only.

NPR's Renee Montagne talks with Mat Gissel, who was recently crowned the National Monopoly Champion. This weekend in Toronto Canada, Gissel and champions from 29 other countries will compete for the title world's greatest monopoly player, and $15,140 dollars in real prize money.

Two years after congress passed the Children's On-line Protection Act, the law to regulate internet pornography is still held up in court. But the COPA commission has been meeting regularly to find suggestions to the problem. They release their findings today. NPR's Larry Abramson reports.

NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports from Jerusalem, where the peace deal brokered in Egypt is due to be implemented today. Continued clashes between Palestinians and Israelis still threaten the agreement.

With the debates behind them, the presidential candidates met for a different audience tonight -- both George Bush and Al Gore attended the annual Al Smith charity dinner in New York. Instead of policy statements, this time the candidates traded quips and barbs. NPR's Anthony Brooks reports from New York.

Host Bob Edwards talks with commentator John Feinstein about the World Series. Game one of the Subway Series between the New York Yankees and the New York Mets is tomorrow night at Yankee Stadium.

From Peoria, Illinois, WCBU's Jonathan Ahl reports on family farmers from Greece, Poland and the Midwest who are looking for advice on how to save family farms. They say they need new tools to keep market and pricing systems from forcing them out of business.