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NPR's Robert Siegel talks with E.J. Dionne, a columnist for The Washington Post and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, and David Brooks, columnist for The New York Times, in our semi-regular political roundtable. They discuss presidential politics in the aftermath of the Madrid bombing.

Officials in New Jersey confirm that bird flu has been detected in poultry in their state. The latest incidents of avian flu follow the destruction in Delaware of nearly 100,000 chickens after flocks at two farms were infected. The variant of avian flu detected in the Northeast is different from the one infecting in humans in Southeast Asia. NPR's Brian Naylor reports.

Cable giant Comcast faces obstacles in its quest to acquire the Walt Disney Co. Analysts say Comcast will likely need to increase its bid to convince Disney shareholders to sell the company. If that happens, Comcast will have to ease consumer concerns over media consolidation and persuade federal regulators that the takeover won't inhibit competition. NPR's Jim Zarroli reports.

Flipping a coin may not be the fairest way to settle disputes. A team of mathematicians claims to have proven that if you start with a coin on your thumb, heads up, flip it and catch it in your hand, it's more likely to land heads up than tails. NPR's David Kestenbaum reports.

NPR's Alex Chadwick talks with music critic and historian Ken Hunt about Indian film singer Lata Mangeshkar. Known as the "Queen of Bollywood Music," Mangeshkar is an international pop icon, and some of her most famous songs are featured on a new CD.

NPR's Robert Siegel talks with former White House advisor David Gergen about the role of the White House press secretary. The current inhabitant of that job, Scott McClellan, has seen the tone of his daily briefings sour in recent weeks.

A California federal grand jury hands down a 42-count indictment against four men who allegedly ran an illegal steroid-distribution network. The men include the founder of BALCO, a controversial San Francisco laboratory, and the personal trainer for baseball superstar Barry Bonds. Crusaders against doping in sports praise the action. NPR's Tom Goldman reports.

With wins in 12 out of the 14 states that have voted, Sen. John Kerry is poised to grasp the Democratic nomination for president and has begun to turn his attention toward a fall campaign against George Bush. Despite a liberal voting record and an often longwinded oratory style, Kerry says he ready for the fight, and those who remember his 1996 Senate re-election campaign agree Kerry can be a steely competitor. NPR's Scott Horsley reports.

To mark Valentine's Day, commentator Baxter Black offers the cowboy counterpart of a radio advice column for the love-lorn.

A new study finds that the tendency for some children in their early adolescence to sleep less presents a danger to their mental health. The study, in the recent issue of the journal Child Development, says children who get less sleep may develop symptoms of depression and low self-esteem. NPR's Michelle Trudeau reports.