Todd Zwillich

• FINANCE TAKEOUT: A new report by the Pew Center gives a failing grade on eight states' pension funds. New York Times finance reporter Louise Story explains.
• OLYMPICS: Daily News sportswriter Nate Vinton joins us with a look at women's Olympic skiing. American women took the top two spots in downhill skiing — including a triumphant gold for an injured Lindsey Vonn.
• LISTENERS RESPOND: By email, phone and posts on our website, listeners weigh in on news of President Obama's nuclear power ambitions.

More women serve in America's armed services than in most other nations. Yet 30 percent of female veterans report being sexually assaulted or raped while serving, according to a 2003 survey funded by the U.S. Department of Defense. This month, Congress is hearing testimony from service members who say they were sexually attacked.

• KING TUT: For years it was thought that King Tut had died from foul play, but new research reveals that he most likely was killed by a severe bout of malaria combined with a degenerative bone condition. He even used crutches! Egypt's top archaeologist and Secretary-General of the Supreme Council of Antiquities, Dr. Zahi Hawass solved the mystery behind King Tut's death and discovered clues in the young pharoah's DNA that give us new insight into his ancestry.

• AIRPORT SECURITY: In a few weeks, airport screeners will begin walking through terminals taking chemical swabs from randomly selected passengers and their luggage to check for explosives like those used in the attempted Christmas Day bombing. Joining us is Col. Randall Larsen, the founding director of the Institute for Homeland Security at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Sequins, feathers and fur have this year's Olympic figure skaters taking heat for the drama behind their costumes. Last month, two Russian teammates who wore costumes, and makeup that were meant to make them look like Australian Aborigines were accused of being culturally insensitive. But first and foremost, says fashion designer Nick Verreos, their costumes were hideously ugly.

For show dogs, it all came down to last night's results. After weeks of grooming, pampering and prepping, the officials at the Westminster Dog Show declared Sadie, a four-year-old Scottish Terrier, the "Best in Show."

President Obama announced Tuesday that he approved a loan guarantee to underwrite construction of two new nuclear reactors in Georgia.  These would be the first new reactors built in the United States since the 1970s. Will this be the start of a new wave of nuclear energy in this country?

• BUSINESS TAKEOUT:  European investors are focusing on the debt in countries like Greece and Italy, but domestic analysts will be watching the U.S. Treasury, which releases the monthly deficit figures this afternoon. New York Times finance reporter Louise Story brings us more.
• SPORTS TAKEOUT:  New York Times sports reporter John Branch brings us up to speed with the latest Olympic news.
• LISTENERS RESPOND: We asked listeners which hobby you'd like to turn into a money-making venture. Here's what you said.

One year ago President Obama signed a landmark economic stimulus package into law. So far, $272 billion has been sent into the country to keep teachers at work, build bridges and extend unemployment benefits. Now, a year later, we take a look at how the plan is working.

Chinese New Year arrived on Sunday, and with it, a two-week period of celebration for the Year of the Tiger. In honor of the lunar new year, we talk with two prominent Chinese Americans about their favorite New Year foods and memories.

In January, 11 professional assassins wearing fake beards and carrying fake passports killed Mahmoud al-Mabhouh, a senior Hamas official in his Dubai hotel.  Both Israel and Palestine have been accused of being involved in the assassination.

Over the last few weeks, Toyota has been criticized for poorly handling the media and its public relations campaign. In response, Toyota's President Akio Toyoda held a press conference in Tokyo this morning to answer questions. But is Toyota allaying consumer concerns?

• BUSINESS TAKEOUT:  The Greek finance minister, George Papaconstantinou, is attempting to reassure the European Union that his country's deficit problems are largely under control, but New York Times finance reporter Louise Story tells us that not everybody is buying his story.
• SPORTS TAKEOUT: Ibrahim Abdul-Matin takes a look at some possible moves that could happen before Wednesday afternoon's NBA trade deadline.
• DOGS TAKEOUT: After more than a hundred submissions and several days of voting, the listeners' favorite was clear: a chihuahua named Benny, photographed looking anxious between a pair of Siamese cats.  We spoke with the owner and her mother about Benny and the advantages of looking scared in a competition.

American, British and Afghan troops have entered day five of a major offensive in a Taliban stronghold in Southern Afghanistan. While the offensive is largely going to plan, troops on the ground are dealing with far more than just encounters with Taliban fighters. The accidental killing of 12 civilians in Afghanistan in recent days has troops bringing condolences to the families of the victims.

President Obama is expected to announce loan guarantees for the construction and operation of two nuclear reactors in Georgia. The announcement is part of an effort to create jobs, find alternative energy sources and gain bipartisan support. 

Last night's breaking news that allied troops captured Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar, the Taliban's top military commander, was actually uncovered by The New York Times last week. 

It's Fat Tuesday, the day of excess before Lent begins, and the day would not be complete without the sound of horns, drums and jubilant voices singing throughout the French Quarter of New Orleans.

Today marks the 68th birthday of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il. He is well known for keeping his country and citizens isolated from the outside world, and now, with rumors of his failing health, North Korea watchers are keenly focused on the future of this extremely secretive, and isolated regime.

On repeated occasions, President Obama and members of his administration have boasted not just of capturing, but of killing terrorists. We take a closer look at the implications of this “kill-over-capture” bias and what makes these targeted killings legal.

• MONEY TAKEOUT: European Finance Ministers are uniting against a plan by President Obama to overhaul the banking system. New York Times finance reporter Louise Story tells us more.
• OLYMPICS TAKEOUT: The international men's hockey tournament is heating up at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Freelance sports writer Dan Friedell joins us from Vancouver.

Yesterday, Indiana's Democratic Senator Evan Bayh announced that he will not be seeking re-election later this year. The news came as both a shock and a painful blow to national Democrats still reeling from last month's upset in the Massachusetts special election that saw the loss of their supermajority status.