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The executive board of the Boy Scouts of America meets Wednesday to talk about whether to drop its policy to ban gay leaders and gay scouts. Activists delivered petitions with more than 1.4 million signatures to the national headquarters this week calling for an end to the ban. The issue has drawn fervent pleas and ignited a passionate debate about what the 100-year-old organization should do.

The movie shows Connecticut lawmakers voting to uphold slavery. Rep. Joe Courtney looked it up, and found his state's real-life lawmakers voted to abolish slavery in 1865. He's asking director Steven Spielberg for a correction.

Two stories about gay rights are breaking: Leaders of the Boy Scouts are debating whether local troops should be allowed to have gay members and leaders; and the Pentagon is reportedly looking to extend some benefits to the same-sex partners of military personnel.

Call it diversity or a lack of consensus, but no single act dominated this year's awards. Instead, the Grammys spread the love, though rock bands — including The Black Keys and fun. — fared well.

It's Oscar season, meaning that classic toe-tapper "Hooray for Hollywood" will soon be booming out of TV speakers everywhere. But the cheery cinema hymn has a more complicated compositional past, as NPR's special correspondent Susan Stamberg explains.

Citing his age (85) and diminished strength, the pontiff plans to step down effective Feb. 28. It's likely that a conclave to elect a new pope will be held by mid-March. A pope hasn't stepped down this way since 1415.

Pope Benedict announced Monday morning he is retiring at the end of the month. He will be the first pontiff to step aside in six centuries.

"After having repeatedly examined my conscience before God, I have come to the certainty that my strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry," the 85-year-old pontiff says.

In a tropical spot like Puerto Rico, you'd think a person would practically be stumbling over exotic fruits and fresh fish. Not so much. Blame global economics.

Pope Benedict XVI made a surprise announcement Monday morning that he will resign at the end of February. For more on his legacy and what the succession of a new pope may bring, Renee Montagne talks with Father Thomas Reese, senior fellow at Georgetown University's Woodstock Theological Center.