Marcus Mabry, international business editor of The New York Times, and Nick Childs, political correspondent for the BBC, help us take a look at what's coming up in the news this week. We talk about the president's decisions on Afghanistan, the ongoing health care debate, and President Obama's promise to the gay and lesbian community.

It will be a busy week in health care on Capitol Hill. After the Columbus Day holiday, Max Baucus’ health care bill heads to a committee vote on Tuesday. We talk with Julie Mason, White House correspondent for the Washington Examiner, for the details.

With Wall Street rebounding, some say the bailed-out banks should pony up and help other ailing industries, or directly pay for health care reform through new taxes on the financial sector. Louise Story, finance reporter for The New York Times, tells us how soon this is likely to happen.

Takeaway sports contributor Ibrahim Abdul-Matin talks baseball, as the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim brought out the brooms and swept their way into their league championships. We also look at results from the weekend in college football, as two star quarterbacks make their returns.

Militants linked to the Taliban launched a bold attack on Pakistan’s army headquarters this weekend. The Pakistan army took back the building, but at least 41 people were killed. The attack raised questions about Pakistan's ability to keep their security infrastructure – including their nuclear weapons – safe, and whether the U.S. will need to deal directly with the Taliban in order to stabilize the region. We speak to Marvin Weinbaum, a scholar at the Middle East Institute and former State Department analyst on Afghanistan and Pakistan, and BBC Islamabad correspondent Aleem Maqbool.

Delaina Dixon, TV blogger from DelainaDixon.com, joins us to talk about the reaction over the weekend – particularly on the late-night talk shows – about President Obama's being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

Anthony D. Marshall was recently convicted of stealing from his mother, wealthy New York philanthropist Brooke Astor. In most families, questions of inheritance don't result in criminal activity, but families all across the country sometimes face lengthy squabbles over the family fortune — even if the family fortune isn't much. We speak to Lisa Belkin, Takeaway contributor and author of the "Motherlode" blog at The New York Times; and Eve Rachel Markewich, an estate lawyer and partner at Markewich and Rosenstock. They both say it's important to talk with your family, early on, about what you want to happen after you die.

President Obama will continue to consult with his war advisers this week about how best to move forward in Afghanistan. One question he’s reportedly been asking is, "who is our adversary in Afghanistan?" We speak with Meghan O’Sullivan, former deputy national security advisor for Iraq and Afghanistan in the George W. Bush administration. She was also involved with the political strategy around the surge in Iraq, which brought insurgents into the political process. Also talking with us is Fotini Christia, MIT professor of political science.

President Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize win caused an outcry among some Republicans, who say he does not deserve the honor. Will loud objections hurt the president — or the GOP? Julie Mason, White House correspondent for The Washington Examiner, looks for an answer.

Takeaway sports contributor Ibrahim Abdul-Matin recaps Sunday's NFL matchups as the Denver Broncos remain undefeated against the New England Patriots, and the Cincinnati Bengals make a surprising come-from-behind win against the Baltimore Ravens.

Your calls and emails came in all weekend about the news of President Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize. We listen to what you had to say and compare responses from pundits and talk show hosts.

The full Senate is scheduled to take up Sen. Max Baucus' (D-Mont.) health care bill later this week, but the bill's language has been thoroughly chewed over already. The influence of lobbyists and special interests has removed and reshaped many provisions once thought central to reform. We talk to New York Times Washington correspondent David Kirkpatrick; and Dave Levinthal, spokesperson for the Center for Responsive Politics, about how a bill really becomes a law. (Watch a refresher on the subject from "Schoolhouse Rock" below.)

He died in June, but Michael Jackson is still selling lots of music. Early this morning Michaeljackson.com went live with the new single, "This is It." How long will Michael Jackson's sales juggernaut keep on going? To help answer this, we talk with Maura Johnston, editor of the music blog Idolator.

Most people know Barbara Boxer as one of California's two Democratic senators, and some people know that she is the chair of the Senate's Environment and Public Works Committee. But did you know that she’s also a novelist? Her new political thriller, "Blind Trust," is in book stores now. She sits down with us to talk about her book, as well as U.S. policy on Afghanistan and climate change. (... click through for the full interview transcript)