NPR News

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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Look for more of what President Obama exhibited three weeks ago at his inaugural address: a challenge to Congressional Republicans, and a focus on the economy, immigration, gun control and climate change.

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Some U.S. meat producers add an obscure chemical called ractopamine to the feed that they give to their pigs, cattle or turkeys. But Russian safety officials haven't approved it, and they've stopped U.S. meat imports – worth a half-billion-dollars a year – until those imports are ractopamine-free.

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Also: A school will be named after Maurice Sendak; poetic parking regulations; and Amish romance novels.

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Analysts also say North Korea's claim that the device was smaller and lighter than ones it previously tested might be a sign it has moved closer to being able to fit a weapon on to a missile. Leaders around the world are condemning North Korea's actions.

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President Obama is expected to once again address Election Day problems in his State of the Union address, this time with some possible solutions. But some worry that involving Congress will just make things worse. And one MIT professor says it's not yet clear what would fix the problem.

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President Obama is expected to once again address Election Day problems in his State of the Union address, this time with some possible solutions. But some worry that involving Congress will just make things worse. And one MIT professor says it's not yet clear what would fix the problem.

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The 41-year-old Florida senator will deliver the official Republican response to President Obama's State of the Union address Tuesday night. It's a chance for a party that has fared badly with both young and Hispanic voters to showcase a new stance on immigration.

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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.

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