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While most of the news about elephants out of Africa concerns poaching and falling numbers, South Africa has the opposite problem. Its elephant populations have grown greater than the country can manage.

Three one-act plays recently performed in Beirut are based on the actual words of Syrians. The show was performed in a bunkerlike space to replicate the conditions artists making such work endure. The actress could not be named. A TV series also takes on Syrian politics — Top Goon is an ensemble of finger puppets who lampoon President Bashar Assad. The filmmakers are also anonymous. To be caught with one of these puppets might be worse than being caught with a stinger missile.

Despite common perceptions, all pro cyclists did not use performance-enhancing drugs when Lance Armstrong was racing, says Joe Lindsey, a contributor to Bicycling magazine. "There were riders who made the right choice, and there were riders who made the wrong choice," he says.

A study of online conversation finds some big differences in geographically distinct parts of Florida around the issue of unemployment. This kind of information could be important to President Obama and Mitt Romney in how they shape their messages while visiting the state, and in advertisements.

Now the White House chief of staff, Lew finessed the 2011 deal that set up the automatic spending cuts and tax hikes set for the new year — and did it in a way that put President Obama in the catbird seat for the current talks. Now he's a possible pick to be the next Treasury secretary.

The framers of the Constitution didn't spell out all the responsibilities of the speaker of the House. In practice, one of those duties has been engaging in one-on-one negotiations with a president on important policy issues. But John Boehner says no more — even with new fiscal fights looming.

Gangsters in Karachi are a little different from the American variety. They often control armed groups linked to political parties. Uzair Baloch is known as the don of Karachi's Lyari slum. But ask him if he's a gangster, and he'll laugh. He says he's a politician and a social worker.

From higher payroll taxes to automatic cuts in military spending, the looming budget crisis could drag the economy back into recession and create turmoil in the financial markets, economists say. To better understand what's at stake, have a look at some of the key phrases involved in the crisis.

Host Scott Simon catches up on the week in sports with Howard Bryant of ESPN: A surprise contender out of Chicago is taking on a well-funded operation with a mighty offensive attack and an NBA firing that surprised exactly no one.

Critic David Edelstein reviews a film that may sound a lot like a campus-bound version of Glee, but has more to it than that label might suggest.