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Ev Ehrlich comments on the Nobel Prize in Economics. Economic theory has changed over the years to reflect contemporary conditions, and the choices for recent prizes reflect those shifts.

NPR's Ted Clark reports on the United States' reaction to the crumbling situation in the Middle East in the face of recent terrorist acts in Yemen against the U.S. and Britain and increasing violence in Israel.

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 Jack Speer reports on the current state of the Stock Market. Yesterday, the Dow hit its fifth worst single-day decline ever. Turmoil in the Mideast and a major spike in oil prices are two culprits in the market's dive.

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.

NPR's Sarah Chayes reports from Paris on the Chinese-born writer Gao Xingjian, who was honored today with the Nobel Prize for Literature. Gao -- the first Chinese writer ever to win the literature prize -- has been living in self-imposed exile in France since 1987. The Swedish Academy honored him for his novels and plays about the struggle for individuality in mass culture.

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.

Deborah Amos continues her series on the multi-billion-dollar illegal drug trade in America. Today's report focuses on controversial law enforcement practices, including the seizure of drug money and assets such as cars to help fund the war on drugs. In some cases undercover informers are paid with percentages of drug money that they help seize. Critics, including some law enforcement officers, say the procedures are ripe for corruption. There's more at http://www.npr.org/news/specials/drugwars/.

This year's Miss America Pageant is undergoing an overhaul. The stage sets, the swimsuit competition and the selection of the judges is all new. One of the most radical of changes is the music. There She Is, the song made famous by Bert Parks, has been redone in a techno style. Robert talks with Jeff Margolis, the producer and director of this year's pageant, about the changes to this year's show.

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.