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Hordes of people, hot and frustrated, crowd toward the Olympic ticket offices, hoping against hope they gain entry to their favorite events. Two Americans leaning against a nearby wall could show them how. They have bought a few tickets — not to their favorite events, but these two professional fans will go to pubs and other meeting places and trade their tickets (and maybe a little cash ) for the tickets they really want.

When Republican Mitt Romney tapped House budget chairman Paul Ryan to be his vice presidential running mate, the decision forced both campaigns to focus on Medicare. The Ryan pick was a 180-degree turn from Romney's original premise, which was to focus exclusively on President Obama and the economy.

Since Republican Rep. Todd Akin first said the words "legitimate rape" last weekend, just about everyone in the Republican Party has condemned those comments. That includes vice presidential candidate Paul Ryan. But it's also put a spotlight on Ryan's anti-abortion legislation and voting record.

Steve Inskeep talks to Billy Nungesser, president of Plaquemines Parish, about how Hurricane Isaac is impacting his community. Nungesser says the storm that hit his parish in southeast Louisiana was "no Category 1" hurricane.

The French port city of Marseilles is in the grip of gang warfare, as young men fight for control of drug trafficking, often using sophisticated weapons left over from the Balkan wars. The gangs are pushing professional criminals and syndicates aside. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley describes the mood with host Scott Simon.

Once again this week, European officials sat down and tried to figure out what to do about the debt crisis. Investors seem to like the plan they came up with, and stock prices rose. But the program still faces hurdles, including a major court ruling in Germany next week. Host Scott Simon speaks with NPR's Jim Zarroli.

President Obama celebrated Labor Day in Ohio with unionized auto workers — many of whom say they owe their jobs to the federal government's rescue of Chrysler and General Motors. The president also took some time out from politicking to visit a flood-damaged area in Louisiana that was hard hit by Hurricane Isaac.

The European Union was awarded the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize Friday. Kristian Berg Harpviken closely follows the Norwegian Nobel Committee's process each year. He joins guest host Celeste Headlee to discuss why he thinks the committee chose the EU.

Since the 1961 publication of the Third International Dictionary, people have debated the merits of dictionaries that describe language as it is and those that explain how it should be. Today the debate continues, but it doesn't hold the same cultural significance as before, writes Geoff Nunberg.

After Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi helped broker a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, he expanded his powers at home by exempting his rulings from judicial review until a new constitution is ratified. Egyptian judges have condemned the move, and some have called for a strike.