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A road trip from Michigan to Alabama places the Watson family in Birmingham in 1963, just as racial tensions are roiling. Christopher Paul Curtis draws upon his own experiences growing up in the 1960s for this Newbery Honor-winning novel.

Just how important is the senior vote in Florida? Nearly one in five Floridians is retired. And a survey conducted by AARP predicts that as many as 60 percent of those who cast ballots in Tuesday's Republican primary will be retirees. Front-runners Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich have taken notice.

The men's basketball team at Jeremy Lin's alma mater, Harvard University, is making its mark on the national scene — and benefiting from powerful Ivy League recruiting tools: a stellar academic reputation and a big increase in financial aid.

Michigan holds its presidential primary in just 10 days, and the contest there is turning out to be closer than expected. Mitt Romney grew up in Michigan, where his father, George Romney, ran a car company before becoming governor. Rick Santorum has come on strong, however, and is even ahead in several polls. NPR's Don Gonyea joins host Scott Simon to talk about the state of play in Michigan.

Like Greece, Portugal is sinking under the weight of debt, and unemployment is soaring. Unlike Greece, Portugal has former colonies rich in natural resources and in need of labor. Now, Portuguese workers are seeking visas to places such as Angola, a country rich with oil and diamonds.

President Obama wants Congress to end certain tax breaks for the very wealthy. In response, Senate Democrats introduced legislation that would require those earning $1 million annually to pay no less than 30 percent in taxes. The bill faces Republican opposition, and is likely to be an election year issue.

At least 15, and possibly many more, have been killed today in Homs. Over the weekend, about 200 people died in the city, activists say. As the killing continues, the U.S. closes its embassy in Damascus.

Britain has a drinking problem. And it's not just a question of alcoholism, but how the country should grapple with what some call an ingrained tradition, and others call a $4.24 billion nightmare. That's how much the National Health Service says it pays each year in alcohol-related incidents.

Mitt Romney was the big winner in Saturday's Nevada caucus, leaving runner-up Newt Gingrich in the dust. Organizers said tens of thousands of people participated in the West's first presidential contest of the year, and some of them were still taking part late into the night. NPR's Carrie Kahn reports.

Basketball fans in China are rooting for Jeremy Lin, the New York Knicks' star point guard, as one of their own. But Lin, whose parents are originally from Taiwan, was born and bred in the U.S. — unlike the Chinese NBA star Yao Ming, with whom he is often compared.