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Scott speaks with classics professor Elaine Fantham about the role of the auction in ancient times.

The second debate between Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush and Democrat Al Gore was more polite than the first, but there were contentious moments. Gore criticized the Texas governor's record on health care and hate crime legislation, citing statistics from Bush's home state. Robert talks to Dave McNeely, political columnist for the Austin American Statesman. He joins us by phone from Austin, Texas.

National Correspondent for The New York Times, Nicholas Kristof and Times Foreign Correspondent Sheryl Wundunn. The two won a Pulitzer prize for their coverage of the Tiananmen Square. They've collaborated on the new book, Thunder from the East: Portrait of a Rising Asia (

Violence also erupted elsewhere in the Middle East today. Israeli helicopter gunships launched attacks against Palestinian targets. Among the targets: the headquarters of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat in Gaza City. Arafat was not injured. Israel says the attacks are in retaliation for the killing of Israeli soldiers. Three soldiers had made a wrong turn into Palestinian territory, and sought refuge at Palestinian police station. But a mob of hundreds of Palestinians surrounded the building, and beat at least two of the soldiers to death. Mike Shuster of NPR News talks to host Robert Siegel about the incidents.

Robert talks with Donald Oberdorfer, a Professor at Johns Hopkins Nitze School of Advanced International Studies, and author of Two Koreas: A Contemporary History, about the Nobel Peace Prize awarded this year to the President of South Korea, Kim Dae-Jung. They discusses what the Nobel will mean for the continued talks between North and South Korea, as well as Secretary of State Madeline Albright's visit to North Korea. (4:00) Two Koreas: A Contemporary History is published by Basic Books, 1999.

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.

Scott talks to Christopher Guest about his new film, Best in Show. It's a mock documentary about show dogs and their eccentric owners. Guest directed the film, and co-wrote it with Eugene Levy, and the cast includes many of the stars from his previous film, Waiting for Guffman.

Scott reads mail from listeners.

NPR's Jennifer Ludden reports on the state of affairs in Israel and the Palestinian territories after some two weeks of hostilities between the Israeli army and Palestinians.

Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat have agreed to a summit meeting aimed at stopping the violence in the Mideast. Scott speaks with NPR's Mike Shuster about this latest development.