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Novelist David Leavitt. His new book is Martin Bauman; or, A Sure Thing. (Houghton Mifflin) It is a look at the Manhattan publishing scene as viewed through the eyes of 19-year-old Martin Bauman. Leavitt's own first book, Family Dancing, was published when he was just 23. Leavitt's other books include The Lost Language of Cranes, Equal Affections, and While England Sleeps.

Texas writer Kim Lane thinks she has seen an apparition of the Virgin Mary in her coffee cup. She wishes she had gotten a clear message about what exactly this vision means.

In two of the most anticipated races of the Olympics, Michael Johnson and Cathy Freeman triumphed in the men's and women's 400 meters, fulfilling historic expectations. Freeman, the Australian who lit the Olympic cauldron, became the first Aboriginal athlete to win an individual medal. Johnson succeeded in defending his 400 meter title, the first male sprinter to do so. The win places him among the top runners in Olympic history. NPR's Howard Berkes reports.

C.J. Hunter, the world champion in the shot put and the husband of sprinter Marion Jones, has tested positive for steroids. As NPR's Tom Goldman reports, US track officials were aware of Hunter's test result in mid-August but kept it confidential. Now that it has been disclosed in the middle of the Olympics, the news could become a major distraction to Jones in her pursuit of five gold medals.

Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore addressed a group of senior citizens in St. Petersburg, Florida today. Billed as a major policy address, today's speech was designed to draw a sharp contrast between Gore's prescription drug plan and that of his Republican rival George W. Bush. The Bush campaign quickly accused his opponent of making up facts about the Texas Governor's Medicare plan, as the presidential race enters its final two weeks. NPR's Anthony Brooks is with the Gore campaign today.

The latest ad being run by the Republican National Committee accuses the current administration, including Democratic nominee Al Gore, of failing the nation by allowing school test scores to fall dangerously behind. The ad says American school children's math and science scores are now the lowest in the world. NPR's Steve Inskeep takes a look at the information behind the ad.

Andrea Bernstein of member station WNYC reports from New York City on the deal struck over the weekend between the campaigns of Senate candidates Hillary Clinton and Rick Lazio. They agreed not to accept any soft money or outside contributions between now and Election Day. Advocates of campaign finance reform hope candidates in other races will do likewise and that the deal will encourage Congress to pass reform legislation in the next session.

Formula One Grand Prix auto racing is back in the United States for the first time in ten years. The race was held in Indianapolis Sunday and drew an enormous television audience worldwide. Jason Paur reports.

NPR's Sylvia Poggioli reports that twenty-four hours after the polls closed in Yugoslavia, the government has still not released even preliminary results of Sunday's presidential election. The opposition candidate Vojislav Kostunica has claimed victory. But there is no sign that incumbent Slobodan Milosevic is ready to hand over power.

For insight about how Serbs are reacting to the election, Robert talks to Bratislav Grubacic, an independent analyst whose VIP News Services publishes English-language newsletters in Belgrade. Grubacic says it's apparent to him that though few people expected Milosevic to lose the election, they now seem to accept that he's lost.

Tom Gjelten of NPR News reports that the United States and other western governments today put intense pressure on Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic to admit defeat in yesterday's presidential election. The United States, Britain and Germany challenged Milosevic to accept his fate or face what one European leader called "devastating consequences."

NPR's Guy Raz reports Germany is marks ten years since reunification today. Most observers agree the benefits for the formerly communist East outweigh the drawbacks. There's much talk of high unemployment in the East. But residents of former East Germany are enjoying higher standards of living. German and foreign leaders alike hailed the achievements of reunification at a ceremony in Dresden today. The architect of German unity, ex-chancellor Helmut Kohl, was notably absent from today's festivities. His reputation has been tainted by a political funding scandal.