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In the 19th and 20th centuries, nearly every coal mine in the U.K. had a brass band. They were intended to keep workers out of trouble, and were a matter of civic pride for local communities. Today, some say that without funding, the bands could become a thing of the past.

From Chris Christie to Jeb Bush, a slew of potential candidates for president have been getting attention. Most of them are speaking this week at the Conservative Political Action Conference, but a few pointedly were not asked.

Not long ago, it seemed that the House of Representatives was a case of the tail wagging the dog, with Speaker John Boehner unable to keep in line many fellow Republicans, especially freshmen who came to Congress riding the 2010 Tea Party wave. Now, however, the big dog seems back in control.

In Greece, hospital budgets have been slashed by more than half. Doctors say they lack basic supplies, including those needed to save lives. Both public and private doctors have seen their salaries cut, delayed or even frozen. Meanwhile, unemployment is taking a toll on patients' health.

As the gun-violence debate ratchets up to include mental health and violent pop culture, video games have become frequent targets of concern. But do violent games influence their players? Experts aren't clear, but violent games remain remarkably popular.

Some affected private companies are so frustrated by their inability to defend against attacks that they have opted to go on the offense themselves. Some cybersecurity firms are now marketing cyberweapons and attack strategies to companies that want to go after their adversaries.

Sixteen cases of a new flu in China have touched off a major effort to determine what kind of threat it might be. Flu experts want to know where the H7N9 virus is coming from and how it gets around.

Paralyzed by a bullet in Iraq, Tomas Young has only seen his health deteriorate since he returned home. In February, Young announced he was going to remove his feeding tube and stop taking the nearly 100 pills a day. "I decided that I was no longer going to watch myself deteriorate," he says.

Coffee is social stimulant, solitary pleasure, intellectual catalyst. It also connects us to far corners of the globe. From small specialty farms in Guatemala to large, industrial operations in Brazil and unexpected corners of the world, like Vietnam, the world's morning cup of joe makes quite a journey.

Steve Inskeep speaks with Tom Ricks, a fellow at the Center for a New American Security and contributing editor to Foreign Policy magazine, about the presidential candidates' foreign policy plans.