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John Boehner's inability to get fellow Republicans to line up behind him not only increases doubts about his future as House speaker; it also raises a more immediate question for President Obama: Who can he negotiate with in the effort to avoid the so-called fiscal cliff?

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo promised to hold the Long Island Power Authority accountable for its performance after Superstorm Sandy. He appointed a special commission to look at how the utility performed. The commission had a meeting Tuesday night on Long Island, where thousands lost power, in some cases for weeks.

Not long ago, it seemed that the House of Representatives was a case of the tail wagging the dog, with Speaker John Boehner unable to keep in line many fellow Republicans, especially freshmen who came to Congress riding the 2010 Tea Party wave. Now, however, the big dog seems back in control.

In Greece, hospital budgets have been slashed by more than half. Doctors say they lack basic supplies, including those needed to save lives. Both public and private doctors have seen their salaries cut, delayed or even frozen. Meanwhile, unemployment is taking a toll on patients' health.

In Who Could That Be at This Hour?, a prequel to A Series of Unfortunate Events, Daniel Handler satirizes pulp mysteries and uncovers the parallels between detective fiction and childhood. In both, he says, an outsider is trying to make his way in a mysteriously corrupt world.

Fierce fighting has continued in recent days between the Syrian Army and rebels in the suburbs. The Syrian Opposition has been fragmented, but this month its factions reached a new understanding and appointed a leader. Host Rachel Martin discusses latest developments in the Syria crisis with NPR's Deborah Amos and Kelly McEvers.

Once hamstrung by the need to wind down two wars, President Obama is now able to focus on his long-planned pivot toward Asia. His first overseas trip since re-election includes a stop in Thailand and historic visits to Cambodia and Myanmar. The strongest diplomatic signals, however, are probably aimed farther north, at China.

Thousands of protesters flooded into the streets of Egypt on Friday — some in support of President Mohammed Morsi, others condemning what they called a vast power grab by the president that puts Egypt on the path to one-man rule.

As the White House and Congress continue to wrangle over a deal to avoid the "fiscal cliff" and its billions in automatic spending cuts and tax increases, a look at who is spending big to influence the debate behind the scenes.

With hordes of tourists descending on New York for the Christmas season, Broadway is looking to turn a profit — by staging limited-run holiday musicals like A Christmas Story and Elf. But with production costs so high, how can these shows make money back? The answer, it turns out, is complicated.

Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained tells the story of a freed slave on a mission to save his wife. Critic Stephanie Zacharek says the dialogue and action — and performances from Jamie Foxx and Christoph Waltz — give the film an edge that could only come from Tarantino. (Recommended)

The Crystal River nuclear plant was a driver of commercial life in rural Citrus County, Fla. The power company's decision to close the troubled plant will leave taxpayers and ratepayers on the hook for up to several billion dollars and has residents worried about their region's future.

Two acts, Ducktails and Autre Ne Veut, used the same recording studio in Brooklyn. Their moves out of the bedroom made a big difference on the sounds of their newest albums.

When 18th century Jewish peddler Jacob Cerf reappears in the 21st century, he finds he can read minds and will people to do his bidding — but he's also a common housefly. Rebecca Miller's Jacob's Folly traces Jacob's mission to get back at God.

The big NASCAR news this weekend wasn't Jimmie Johnson's victory in the Daytona 500 or Danica Patrick's 8th place finish, the highest ever for a woman. A huge crash at the end of Saturday's Nationwide 400 in Daytona injured more than 30 fans and put a pall on NASCAR's biggest event. Audie Cornish talks to Ryan McGee, senior writer for ESPN The Magazine.

North Korean authorities cut off their "hotline" communication with South Korea on Monday as part of their announced withdrawal from the armistice agreement that ended the Korean War in 1953. The move came amid a flurry of bellicose North Korean threats, coinciding with the beginning today of joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises. The White House also vowed anew to protect U.S. forces and South Korean allies against any threats from the North. Analysts say it is among the most dangerous moments on the Korean peninsula in several years.

Next week marks the anniversary of a landmark Supreme Court decision that says defendants facing substantial jail time deserve legal representation in state courts, even if they can't afford it. Now, many lawyers say the system for providing defense attorneys for the poor is in crisis.

A postwar drama wears its history lightly as it tap dances gingerly around actual events in the days after Japan's surrender ended World War II.

Harmony Korine's splashy crime comedy Spring Breakers has made headlines for its surprising, sexualized use of Disney-certified starlets. It packs a few surprises, but the violent, bloody film ultimately tries a little too hard to be truly avant-garde.

For the first time, two female Marines are among those training to see if they have what it takes to be battlefield leaders. They're part of a test to see if women can lead Marines in ground combat — jobs that are closed to them now. The training is so difficult that about 20 percent of participants fail.