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From higher payroll taxes to automatic cuts in military spending, the looming budget crisis could drag the economy back into recession and create turmoil in the financial markets, economists say. To better understand what's at stake, have a look at some of the key phrases involved in the crisis.

Lawmakers and President Obama are expected to return to Washington Thursday to resume efforts at averting the fiscal cliff. Lawmakers failed to reach a deal late last week and went home for the holiday break. Guest host Celeste Headlee talks with Bloomberg Businessweek contributor Roben Farzad for a look at the last-minute options.

The doors were closed so the nation wasn't be able to watch. One week after his scandal-tinged resignation, former CIA Director David Petraeus fielded questions from members of both the House and Senate intelligence committees.

A cool ladies' man with a shaved head, Jimmy Van Heusen was one of America's greatest popular composers. He wrote "Darn That Dream," "Swinging on a Star," "All the Way," "High Hopes," "Here's That Rainy Day," "Come Fly With Me" and more.

Jack Lew is known as a smart, unassuming budget wonk who has spent most of his career in government policy-making jobs. Lew, President Obama's nominee to be Treasury secretary, is expected to face questions about his management years at Citigroup before the government bailed out the banking giant.

A reporter's quest to understand differences in regional recipes of the Middle East staple yields homespun stories about their provenance.

Known for rom-coms, the actor, currently starring in Mud, is taking on more dramatic roles.

Now the White House chief of staff, Lew finessed the 2011 deal that set up the automatic spending cuts and tax hikes set for the new year — and did it in a way that put President Obama in the catbird seat for the current talks. Now he's a possible pick to be the next Treasury secretary.

Strategists, pollsters and billionaires are discovering that they can have a much bigger impact on the election through outside groups that can raise unlimited amounts of money. These political money men are already changing the way elections are won and lost.

Host Rachel Martin talks with NPR sports correspondent Mike Pesca, who has an off-speed pitch on the week's sports news.