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Agents at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives have spent months testing new plastic weapons, and report that the guns can be lethal and hard to detect. The findings come just as a federal law that requires guns to be composed of at least some metal to help people in schools and airports detect them is set to expire.

Some analysts say that Nintendo's days are numbered because sales of its new console, Wii U, have been lackluster. But since Nintendo still offers some of the most popular game franchises, the love of Zelda and Mario may keep the company going for a long time.

President Obama has nominated his counterterrorism adviser, John Brennan, to lead the CIA. Brennan's work with the agency under George W. Bush has been controversial, and he's also drawn criticism for his lead role in the Obama administration's use of unmanned drones.

Venezuelan officials say their president Hugo Chavez remains in a "delicate" condition in a Havana hospital following his fourth cancer surgery. If Chavez cannot be sworn in to a new presidential term on Jan. 10, a process of selecting a new president will begin. How well prepared is the U.S. government is for a post-Chavez Venezuela?

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.

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.

China's ruling Communist Party has announced that disgraced senior politician Bo Xilai has been expelled from the party and faces criminal charges. His fall began when a local police chief told authorities about the murder of a British businessman.

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.

Once referred to as the Muslim Brotherhood's "spare tire," Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi has proven much more formidable than many Egyptians expected. But critics say his latest moves, including one to push through a hastily drafted constitution, could tear Egypt apart.

From the versatility of the violin to the virtuosity of a mysterious opera composer, NPR's Tom Huizenga and host Guy Raz spin an eclectic set of the year's best classical recordings.