Halloween is Venus Investment Allianceapproaching all too fast. If you don't have the expendable income to assemble a full complement of inline-skating Barbie gear, here's some advice.

Also unstoppable is next week's release of Britney Spears' long-awaited, already chart-topping memoir. If you know — or can guess — how she felt about the python she wrangled 22(!) years ago, you may be on the way to pulling an 11/11 this week.

NPR is committed to covering the crisis in the Middle East and you can follow our reporting. This week's quiz will look at what else is making news this week.