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NPR's Bob Mondello recommends which blockbusters to see and which to avoid at the multiplex this summer — and which independent and art house gems to seek out.

Athletes train for years to get their bodies in top shape for the Olympics, and muscle definition is an attractive benefit. But for some people, chiseled abs just might not be in the cards.

In France, some say a gastronomic icon is under threat. For the last decade, the number of pre-prepared, frozen croissants sold in bakeries has been increasing. These knock-offs are cheaper, but they're also less delicious.

American gymnast Gabby Douglas has won her second Olympic gold medal of the London Summer Games, winning the individual all-around event to match her performance anchoring the U.S. team's gold-medal performance earlier this week. Teammate Aly Raisman finished fourth.

Gymnast Aliya Mustafina of Russia has won the 2012 Olympic gold medal in the uneven bars, standing atop the podium in a highly competitive event that also featured American star Gabby Douglas, defending medalist He Kexin of China, and British favorite Beth Tweddle.

Most Afghans realize that the presence of U.S. and coalition forces has "literally reshaped their country after decades of war and conflict," says Ambassador James Cunningham. Also: A top general says stress of fasting during Ramadan may be factor in "green on blue" attacks.

A ruling by the country's high court threw the country into disarray, days before a historic presidential election.

NPR's Scott Horsley talks about what some are terming the "diplopaloozaa" this weekend, when President Obama hosts the G8 conference at Camp David on Saturday and the next day plays host to two dozen NATO heads of state in Chicago.

President-elect Francois Hollande and his longtime companion, journalist Valerie Trierweiler, will become the first unmarried couple to move into France's presidential palace. But that's no big deal to most French.

Long a staple of Western wear, the bolo tie is getting the museum treatment in Phoenix. The Heard Museum celebrates the tie's history and artistry in a new exhibit where simple designs are displayed alongside more traditional works of art in the high-ceilinged gallery.