The numbers are out: After four months of steadily increasing, home sales tapered off in August. We speak to Nicholas Retsinas, director of the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University, for a look at the national housing scene. Then, we take a look at the market from the perspective of three local players: Behrooz Shahidi, a realtor in New Jersey; Ken Ebaugh, a senior mortgage banker with Paramount Bank near Detroit; and Eric Mattinson, who is a first-time home buyer from Greensboro, N.C.

The Senate Finance Committee continues to mark up Chairman Max Baucus' (D-Mont.) health care bill, but things might get interesting today when two Democratic Senators offer amendments, including public health insurance options. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), meanwhile, wants to go home. The Takeaway's Washington correspondent Todd Zwillich has all the details.

There's a small revolution in banking, and this time it's good for consumers. Led by Bank of America and Citigroup, an increasing number of banks are reducing or altogether eliminating the dreaded overdraft fee. (Can we get a heck yeah!?) What did consumers do to deserve such kindness? New York Times finance reporter Louise Story explains it all.

Earlier this week the NCAA ranked the top college football teams in the nation. This weekend, fans will see if those teams deserve the top spots. Can Cal continue their strong showing against Oregon? The Takeaway's sports contributor Ibrahim Abdul-Matin talks college football and the weekend games to watch.

Up on Capitol Hill, lawmakers are talking a good game about the need to regulate banks and enforce limits on executive salaries. But how close are we to real reform on these issues, and what's going to happen at the G-20? For an insider's view of the process of reforming banking, we speak to Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), head of the House Financial Services Committee. (click through for the full interview transcript)

As the political parties (and lobbyists, natch) debate health reform, real people are stuck in the middle. Over the weeks (and months) that the health care debate has gone on (and on), we've heard from our listeners who have health insurance but don't have the actual care they need. What's the difference? We listen to their stories of what it means to be (sort of) covered.

Even though "Surrogates" and "Fame" debut this weekend, it's the art house films that have stolen the hearts of The Takeaway's movie reviewers: Rafer Guzman, film critic for Newsday, and Karina Longworth, editor of Spout. They introduce us to Anne Fontaine's film "Coco Before Chanel," starring Audrey Tautou, about the famous fashion designer before she was an icon. They also look at "Disgrace," the screen adaptation of the novel by J.M. Coetzee, starring John Malkovich, and "Blind Date," starrring Stanley Tucci and Patricia Clarkson.

Here's the trailer for "Coco Before Chanel"; click through for more trailers:

While in the Security Council of the United Nations, President Obama won unanimous adoption of a resolution to curb the proliferation and testing of nuclear weapons and move toward total disarmament, Iran continues to develop nuclear sites. This morning there are reports revealing the existence of a second uranium enrichment plant in Iran. The BBC's defense and security correspondent, Nick Childs, joins us with a look at what this announcement will mean for next week's high-level talks between the U.S. and Iran.

Yesterday, the Department of Justice indicted Najibullah Zazi, a 24-year-old Afghan living in Denver, on conspiracy charges related to an alleged bomb plot intended to strike the New York City subway system. According to government documents, Zazi bought gallons of acetone and hydrogen peroxide from beauty supply stores, and had experimented with bomb making in a Denver-area hotel room. We talk with New York Times reporter David Johnston and Bruce Finley from The Denver Post; both have been following the case. We are also joined by former federal prosecutor Ed O’Callaghan, the former chief of the Terrorism and National Security Unit in New York’s Southern District, who talks us through the legal case.

The fall football season is getting into full swing with Detroit vs. Washington and the Buffalo Bills going up against the New Orleans Saints. We take a sneak peak at the upcoming NFL matches this weekend with sports contributor Ibrahim Abdul-Matin. (And did we mention the New York Jets are playing the Tennessee Titans?)

As announced yesterday, the late Sen. Ted Kennedy's seat in the U.S. Senate will be filled by long-time family friend and former chair of the Democratic National Committee Paul Kirk. Will soon-to-be Sen. Kirk provide the much-need 60th vote to push health care reform through the Senate? The Takeaway's Washington correspondent Todd Zwillich gives us his insights.

The long-awaited G-20 Summit gets under way this week as Pittsburgh opens its doors to leaders from 20 of the world's largest economic powers, along with the legions of protesters who come with them. As the summit began, protestors marched toward the city center and soon clashed with police, who fired pepper spray and rubbert bullets into the crowd. The protesters clogged streets, banged on drums and chanted. For more, we speak to Mackenzie Carpenter, reporter for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Here's some footage from the protests in Pittsburgh:

With an unemployment rate of 28.9% and a $300 million budget shortfall, things in "Motor City" have rarely been worse. To cover the story, Time is trying something new: moving there. The magazine has bought a house in Detroit and moved a team of reporters there to truly get the feel for the city. We talk to Time Magazine contributor Daniel Okrent about the year-long "Assignment Detroit." And for a deeper look at the city's problems, we also speak to long-time Detroit resident and Circuit Court Judge, Vonda Evans.

Nick Weaver revealed to his mom that he was gay when he was 12 years old. Now he is 15 and lives in Tulsa, Okla. Both he and his mom, Pam Anderson, talk with us about the challenges pre-teens face when coming out of the closet. We also speak to Benoit Denizet-Lewis, who wrote a cover story in this Sunday's New York Times Magazine about a growing trend among young gay men and women: coming out earlier in life.

Nuclear disarmament is high on the international agenda this week with discussions at the United Nations and the G-20 summit. Adding to the sense of urgency are new reports that Iran has a second uranium enrichment plant, despite having previously admitted only to one. The U.S. and Iran are set to meet in a series of high-level talks next week. In Pittsburgh this morning, President Obama spoke about the need for Iran to halt their nuclear ambitions. GlobalPost's Charlie Sennott explains the international repercussions of this new revelation while Cindy Skrzycki, also from GlobalPost, joins us from Pittsburgh with the reactions from the G-20 meeting.

If you missed it, here are President Obama's comments on Iran's secret enrichment site: