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NPR's go-to librarian would like you to meet some friends of hers — from six novels and one work of history. As you read, these artfully developed characters will become more and more real. Pearl says that when the stories ended, she was left longing for the people she'd met between the pages.

Calls for a boycott against home improvement giant Lowes have been streaming in. The controversy involves Lowes advertising on the reality TV show All-American Muslim, which follows the daily lives of five Arab-American families in Dearborn, Mich. Lowes pulled its ads after a conservative group complained.

Tens of thousands of Russians gathered in the streets over the weekend to denounce alleged fraud in parliamentary elections earlier this month. Steve Inskeep talks to David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker, about an article he's written concerning Russian's resistance to Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

A disputed election in the Democratic Republic of Congo has returned sitting President Joseph Kabila to power for the next five years. The opposition claims there was election fraud. Congo's influential Catholic church has voiced reservations about the conduct of the elections.

Islamists in Egypt are once again expected to dominate at the ballot box in the second round of parliamentary elections that begin Wednesday. Their anticipated win has many Egyptians fearing the new parliament will turn their country into a theocracy.

Tommaso began life as a stray cat on the streets of Rome until he was rescued by a wealthy widow. The 94 year old had no children, according to ABC News. So when she died last month, she left her entire fortune to the cat. That's $13 million.

A Nativity scene in Caracas features the traditional baby Jesus born in a manger. But those standing nearby include a figure of President Hugo Chavez. The scene also makes a case that Chavez should qualify as a wise man. It includes a miniature cable car, symbolizing infrastructure improvements for which the president wants to be known.

Accusers may testify today in first hearing about allegations against the former Penn State assistant football coach. Also: U.N. says 5,000 people have been killed in Syrian violence.

Tehran says it acquired "priceless technological information" after a CIA spy drone went down in Iran earlier this month. But defense experts say the pilotless craft, much like the U-2 spy plane shot down in the 1960s, may have more value as propaganda than as a treasure trove of technological secrets.

At least three people and the suspected attacker are dead. Dozens more are wounded.