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As a power struggle between Iran's supreme leader and its president escalates, doubts are emerging about whether the country's next presidential election will take place. Recent reports suggest a secret committee has already been convened to recommend constitutional changes to eliminate the presidency.

After being dragged down by the congressional debate over whether to raise the debt ceiling last summer, the president remained largely silent on the supercommittee. Though the GOP has criticized the president for what they call "failed leadership," it's unclear whether his immediate involvement would have been helpful.

Unless Congress changes the rules, this failure triggers a $1.2 trillion across-the-board budget cut.

The live magazine in San Francisco showcases documentary filmmakers, writers, radio producers, photographers and artists. They present their work live onstage — just once — and there is no record it ever happened. Editor Douglas McGray says he likes how it makes audiences' "brains work."

President Obama Monday put the blame for the supercommittee's failure squarely on congressional Republicans — and their unwillingness to consider higher taxes on the wealthy. Obama also threatened to veto any effort to escape from the automatic spending cuts agreed to in August without a balanced plan to reduce the deficit. Robert Siegel talks to NPR's Scott Horsley for more.

The Pentagon already plans to cut about $500 billion from its budget over 10 years. Now, it faces another $500 billion in cuts. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta warns that it would lead to a hollow force. Although the cuts would be large, they aren't as steep as what the military has absorbed in the past.

The jobs website Careerbuilder.com reports nearly one in five workers said they plan to celebrate the holiday with coworkers. The survey asked workers who they would rather spend Thanksgiving with, and only 1 percent answered coworkers. Ninety percent said family. The remaining 9 percent answered neither.

The latest round of Egyptian protests began when the military tried to strengthen its power in any future government. Vali Nasr of Tufts University talks to Steve Inskeep about other armies that tried to gain a bigger role in a supposedly democratic country. Nasr is also the author of The Rise of Islamic Capitalism, and is a former advisor to the Obama administration.

MF Global is the securities firm run by Wall Street veteran and former New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine. The firm filed for bankruptcy protection last month after making bad bets on European government bonds. A trustee was appointed to wind down the company.

The failure to agree on a way to trim budget deficits will give both major parties plenty of ammunition for next year's campaigns.