Six staff members of the United Nations were killed and another nine wounded in an armed attack on a central Kabul guesthouse this morning. The Taliban has claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was the first step in a campaign to prevent the upcoming runoff in the nation's presidential election. This attack comes hard on the heels of yesterday's attacks that killed eight American troops in multiple bomb attacks in southern Afghanistan. The deaths make October the deadliest month for American troops there since the war began in 2001. We speak to BBC correspondent David Loyn, the author of "In Afghanistan: Two Hundred Years of British, Russian and American Occupation," about the state of the international effort in Afghanistan. We're also joined by New York Times White House correspondent Peter Baker, with an update on the president's decision on whether or not to send additional troops to the embattled nation.

• Washington Takeout: The Takeaway's Washington correspondent, Todd Zwilich, explains the surprisingly staunch and early stance from Sen. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) against the Democratic health reform bill ... in particular on the inclusion of a public option.
• Business Takeout: Louise Story, finance reporter for The New York Times, brings us word of yet another government bailout with the hope of preventing another Lehman Brothers–style collapse.
• Listener Takeout: We hear from listeners arguing whether or not women are more obsessed about cleaning than men.

Baseball's World Series is set to kick off tonight, pitting the New York Yankees against the Philadelphia Phillies. The first two games of the World Series will be played in the new Yankee Stadium — a hulking white structure that opened in the Bronx in April 2009. The modern stadium was built at a cost of over $850 million, including taxpayers' money, and came with the promise of improving the low-income neighborhoods surrounding the ballpark. We speak to Ailsa Chang, reporter with WNYC, for a look at whether the new stadium is living up to that promise.

New York and Philadelphia are about to face off in baseball’s World Series. But behind the sports madness, the two cities have a historic rivalry that dates back to colonial times — when they both fought to be the U.S. capital city. Michael Zuckerman, professor of history at the University of Pennsylvania, explains.

While college is the land of higher education and a college degree a prerequisite for career success, a new study finds schools are increasingly focusing on athletic, not educational, success. We speak to William "Brit" Kirwan, chancellor of the University of Maryland and co-chair of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics, who claims that the majority of schools want to cut the size of their athletic budgets but can't quite figure out how to do that.

Oh, okra! Whether used in gumbo or succotash, the little vegetable is either loved or hated. Jessica Harris, food and cultural historian, joins us with a look at the history and lore of okra, which first arrived in the United States in the 17th century and has graced the plates of Southerners and African American families ever since. She also gives us three recipes to try and convert even the most stalwart okra hater.

Click through for Jessica Harris' okra recipes

It might seem that globalization is a continuing and ominous threat to America's workforce. New York Times business correspondent Micheline Maynard, however, says foreign companies can help American communities — especially as they hire Americans in tough economic times. Maynard is the author of a new book "The Selling of the American Economy.” We're also joined by Amy Lindsay, a former Estée Lauder employee, now a factory worker for Toyota in Indiana. She tells us about her own experience switching from an American employer to a foreign one. Our own Todd Zwillich gives us an insider's view on the recent congressional decision to extend unemployment benefits again.

• Washington Takeout: Washington correspondent Todd Zwillich points out that within the halls of Congress, disagreements over health care reform go way beyond the public option. Look for fierce disagreement over abortion and its funding to enter the debate soon.
• Business Takeout: New York Times finance reporter Louise Story previews what Obama's pay czar will tell Congress later today about "excessive pay" on Wall Street and what he's planning to do about it.
• Sports Takeout: The Takeaway's sports contributor Ibrahim Abdul-Matin previews the start of the World Series. Will the NY Yankees' star pitcher C.C. Sabathia rout the Philadelphia Phillies in their attempt to hold onto baseball's crown?

The New York Times reports today that Ahmed Wali Karzai, the brother of Afghan President Hamid Karzai, is on the payroll of the Central Intelligence Agency. The news comes as a surprise because Ahmed Wali Karzai is also allegedly a big player in Afghanistan's illegal drug trade. Times national security correspondent Mark Mazzetti gives us the story.

For more, read Mark Mazzetti's article, Brother of Afghan Leader Is Said to Be on C.I.A. Payroll, in today's New York Times.

The House Judiciary Committee is holding hearings about the long-term cognitive damage suffered by NFL players as a result of concussions they suffered on the football field. We speak to New York Times reporter Alan Schwarz, along with Dr. Ann McKee, professor of neurology at Boston University, who has studied the brains of several former NFL players.

The trailer for Michael Jackson's "This Is It"

Before Michael Jackson's death earlier this year, he was preparing for a string of 50 high-profile and meticulously choreographed performances in London. Today fans of the King of Pop will get to see what he had planned for his big comeback in the movie version of the show, called "This Is It." We talk to Chris Hawkins, a presenter on BBC 6Music, who joins us from outside of a movie theater in London, where fans, including Yvonne Holland, are lining up to see the film.