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In the post-Sept. 11 world, intelligence operations are discussed much more freely. This was evident once again with the foiled bomb plot in Yemen. Despite the sensitivity of the case, the details have come out quickly.

The publication of Vatican documents alleging corruption among cardinals has triggered a major crisis in the Holy See. It has shed light on a Vatican gripped by intrigue and power struggles like a Renaissance court, and some observers say it highlights the Vatican's dire need for structural reform.

Van Harris and his wife, Shirley, grew up in the same Brooklyn neighborhood, about a block from each other. During a visit to StoryCorps, Van recalled the day he first noticed Shirley: "She was about 10 years old, and she was beating up a couple of guys. ... I said, 'Geez, I'd like to meet a girl like that.' "

Host Scott Simon speaks with NPR's Tom Goldman about the latest in the world of sports: lots of game sevens.

Singer-songwriter Carole King started young: She was just 15 when she founded a doo-wop group with her classmates. The act never took off, but King eventually became one of the biggest-selling artists of all time. She tells the story of her career so far in a new memoir, A Natural Woman.

Zimbabwe suffered out-of-control inflation four years ago, and it ravaged an economy already in decline. Today, the economy has stabilized and the shops are full, though many Zimbabweans are still struggling.

The White House and FBI have confirmed al-Qaida attempted to target a plane bound for the United States. All indications are the plan was conceived by al-Qaida's arm in Yemen. But officials say the plot was foiled before it was any threat to the public.

Former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty is the son of a truck driver, an evangelical Christian, a former presidential candidate, and for months now a loyal surrogate for Republican Mitt Romney. He's also considered a top contender to become Romney's pick for vice president.

South African Oscar Pistorius will run on artificial legs in the 400-meter Olympic sprint preliminaries in London Saturday. Pistorius is a double amputee who runs world-class times on his carbon-fiber limbs. Some question whether he has an unfair edge — so a lab studied his running motion.

It's a mobile gadget lover's dream week. Nokia, Microsoft and Google's Motorola introduce new smartphones. Amazon will show off a new Kindle. And all these companies are positioning themselves in advance of Apple's new iPhone 5, which comes out next week.