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President Obama started the first round of talks Friday about how to avoid fiscal calamity. He has been pushing to end Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy, a plan strongly opposed by some House Republicans. But in the end, a deal with the House may come down to Speaker John Boehner and the president.

The stunning resignation of CIA Director David Petraeus, a retired 4-star general, has been followed by an investigation into potentially inappropriate communications between Gen. John Allen and a woman in Tampa.

The ongoing European debt crisis is expected to pose major challenges to the next U.S. administration.

Tom Wolfe's new novel is a sprawling portrait of Miami and its many ethnic groups, centering around a Cuban-American police officer and an immigration conflict. NPR editor Luis Clemens says the book nails the physical descriptions of Miami, but falls down badly in the portrayal of actual humans.

For more than 150 years, a charity auction has kicked off the wine season in France's Burgundy grape-growing region. It's turned into an A-list rendezvous for international industry players — this year attracting former supermodel and first lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy and record prices.

In his first term, President Obama was criticized as caving to Republicans too early, too often. Since his re-election, he has subtly changed his approach. He's bringing a more aggressive style — but some critics say it's not the best way to find common ground.

Mohammed Morsi was dismissed by many Egyptians when he stood in the country's first free election after the ouster of the Mubarak regime. Morsi was seen as lacking charisma and was referred to as the Muslim Brotherhood's spare tire, since he wasn't the group's first choice for president. But Morsi has been able to rock the system. He ousted Egypt's top generals, reshuffled the military ranks and now picked what appears to be the perfect time to override the courts and push through a constitution.

As its economy prospers, the country has gained an enviable reputation in its often-turbulent West African neighborhood. It's admired for being a relative oasis of stability and peace in the region — despite tensions in the build-up to the vote.

Several top government officials have been caught up in an embarrassing cheating scandal — including the defense minister, who resigned as a result, and the education minster, who is under investigation for her doctoral dissertation. An informal group of "plagiarism police" has undertaken the hunt.

The Barcelona star has broken several records this year — and many say the 25-year-old still hasn't peaked.