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Reigning gymnastics world champion Shawn Johnson finally won a gold medal at the Olympics after three second-place finishes. She won the balance-beam competition, completing a series of athletic flips and twists that gave her the edge over teammate Nastia Liukin.

Growing up, the only authors Walter Dean Myers read in school were white and British. But when he discovered Langston Hughes and Richard Wright, he realized that he, too, could be a writer. Now, Myers works to encourage the next generation.

Political leaders in Pakistan are looking for a new president. Pervez Musharraf stepped down Monday to avoid being impeached. The Bush administration — which saw Musharraf as an important ally — is watching the search for a replacement closely. On the streets of Pakistan's cities, though, reaction to his departure is mixed.

Pakistan's outgoing President Pervez Musharraf was a close U.S. ally in the fight against al-Qaida. But critics say the Bush administration relied on him too much, and that he didn't do enough to rein in the Taliban. With Musharraf out, Pakistan is expected to concentrate on preventing extremism inside Pakistan rather than across the border.

A prisoner exchange between Georgia and Russia is a sign of both nations' efforts to reduce tension. But Georgia and its Western allies are waiting for Russia to fulfill its promise to withdraw Russian troops from areas of Georgia. Russia has insisted the withdrawal is under way.

A century after Richard Wright's birth, his books still resonate — both with his daughter, Julia, and with a new generation of fans, some of whom are just discovering the author.

The ruling coalition is moving to oust President Pervez Musharraf. Some Western officials worry that a lengthy impeachment process will distract the government from the weakening economy and the fight against terrorism.

The U.S. is demanding an immediate and complete withdrawal of Russian forces from Georgia, after the Georgian president signed a cease-fire agreement mediated by France. Meanwhile, Russian troops came within 20 miles of the Georgian capital Friday.

Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in the Georgian capital of Tbilisi with the goal of getting Russian combat forces out of the former Soviet country. Rice is carrying a draft cease-fire that requires Russia to withdraw combat troops and allows peacekeepers to remain in the flash-point separatist region.

For two years, the author lived in a Laotian hospital, in an apartment above the operating room. His experiences there inspired characters — including a country coroner — for the books he would later write.