Without a deal by March 1, across-the-board federal spending cuts will kick in — including deep cuts to the nation's defense budget. Michele Flournoy, former undersecretary of defense for policy, and NPR's Tom Bowman discuss what sequestration might mean for the U.S. military.

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European officials say players and referees have fixed the outcome of hundreds of soccer games in recent years. The scandal has exposed the organized crime rings that cash in on cheating and has heightened scrutiny of the ethical questions that arise at the intersection of gambling and sports.

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The U.N. Security Council held an emergency meeting Tuesday to discuss North Korea's latest nuclear test. Any specific U.N. response depends largely on China, North Korea's primary trading partner. Former CIA China analyst Christopher Johnson weighs in on China's options and their potential influence on a coordinated international response.

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Chasing chickens, catching MoonPies or towing your fishing boat as a parade float — those are just a few of the lesser-known traditions of Mardi Gras you'll find in towns across the Southeast.

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Some Republicans will try to hold up their former colleague's confirmation as Pentagon chief. But the conventional wisdom is that the Senate will move to put Hagel in that job before the end of this week.

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Passengers on the cruise ship Triumph, set adrift Sunday after an engine fire, must now wait until Thursday before what was billed as a four-day cruise finally ends. Strong currents pushed the ship an extra 90 miles into the Gulf of Mexico, foiling plans to tow it to Progreso, Mexico. The ship is now headed for Mobile, Alabama.

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A year ago, there was speculation that Kim Jong Un might be different from his father and grandfather. North Korea's nuclear muscle-flexing has all but silenced that discussion.

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Host Michel Martin continues the conversation about why boys fall behind in school. She speaks with a group of parents and experts: author Christina Hoff Sommers, New York University education professor Pedro Noguera, University of Virginia Dean Bob Pianta, and Glenn Ivey, father of five boys.

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Even with the election behind him, the stakes are still high for President Obama, with his State of the Union speech. Host Michel Martin speaks with former Democratic speechwriter, Paul Orzulak and Republican strategist, Ron Christie, about what it will take for the President to hit the right notes.

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Bookmakers are taking bets on whether an African or Latin American Cardinal will succeed Pope Benedict XVI. Host Michel Martin speaks to University of Pennsylvania Religion Professor Anthea Butler to discuss the possibility of the papacy leaving Europe for the first time since the Middle Ages.

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Boys are lagging behind girls in school; on average, they get worse grades, take fewer advanced classes and are less likely to graduate. To find out why boys are taking a back seat in education, host Michel Martin speaks with Christina Hoff Sommers, resident scholar at the American Enterprise Institute and the author of 'The War Against Boys.'

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The former vice president thinks the current president's national security team is "second rate." Cheney tells CBS that the president's policies are making the nation "vulnerable." But he thinks using drone strikes to kill suspected terrorists is "a good program."

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In some cases, "observation" may be no more than a billing designation that allows hospitals to move patients out of crowded emergency departments. Hospitals also may use them to avoid potential insurance reimbursement problems.

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A path to freedom for enslaved blacks, an engine of economic independence, a treat for Mardi Gras revelers. Once you know the fascinating history of this Creole rice fritter, beignets will seem boring by comparison.

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Sold on the streets of New Orleans since the 1700s, these rice fritters all but disappeared from public life after World War II. But once you know the history of this Mardi Gras treat, beignets will seem boring by comparison.

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A recent emergency announcement of a zombie attack turned out to be a hoax. But how would you identify the real thing? Thank goodness we have some ideas.

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The world is close to wiping out polio, as the number of new cases is at an all-time low. But recent violence against polio vaccinators threatens to reverse this progress. Recently, gunmen killed nine polio vaccinators in Nigeria, mirroring attacks in Pakistan in December.

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The suspects, police say, "had it all wrong." They thought they were firing at rival gang members. Instead, they were shooting at teens who weren't associated with gangs. Hadiya Pendleton's death has gotten national attention. It happened a mile from President Obama's Chicago home.

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In his State of the Union address Tuesday night, the president is expected to lay out some details about the reduction in troop numbers.

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Of the 117 cardinals who will choose the next pope, slightly more than half are from Europe. There are names being floated from elsewhere, but conventional wisdom is that the cardinals will go the conventional route.

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