Whitney Houston, A 'Perfect Instrument,' Dies

The pop diva was discovered dead in her Beverly Hills hotel room Saturday, the eve of the 54th Grammy Awards. When she burst upon the music world in 1985, there was no doubt in anyone's mind the willowy beauty was a star. Houston's music was stellar, but her personal life was chaotic.

Women Get Closer To Combat; Many PracticallyThere

The Pentagon announced last week that the military would now allow women to serve in jobs that would bring them closer to combat. Host Rachel Martin speaks with former Army sergeant Kayla Williams about the ramifications of the change.

The Contraception Compromise Plays Out Politically

This past week, the White House changed its requirements that faith-based employers include contraceptives in their health insurance plans, after Republicans and some Democrats opposed the policy on religious grounds. Host Rachel Martin talks with NPR's Mara Liasson and Barbara Bradley Hagerty.