Watching the Sunday shows so you don't have to  —  Today, some centrist pundits and legislators solved the sequester by demanding “balance” and “leadership”  —  Here's what I learned this morning on “the Sunday shows,” the three network news panel programs that define the parameters …

US forces ‘must leave’ Afghan region  —  The Afghan president has ordered US special forces to leave Wardak province within two weeks over allegations of disappearances and torture.  —  The measures were being taken due to the actions of Afghans considered to be part of US special forces, said a spokesman for Hamid Karzai.

Michelle Obama Makes Surprise Oscars Appearance, Reads Best Picture  —  The first lady made an appearance via video to paid tribute to Hollywood.  —  Argo was the expected best picture winner; the presenter, Michelle Obama, was the big surprise.  —  The first lady appeared via video screen …

Bloomberg's ban prohibits 2-liter soda with your pizza and some nightclub mixers  —  Take a big gulp, New York: Hizzoner is about to give you a pop.  —  Nanny Bloomberg unleashes his ban on large sodas on March 12 — and there are some nasty surprises lurking for hardworking families.

Father goes to strip club, leaves 2-year-old in cold car, LAPD says  —  A father allegedly left his 2-year-old daughter in a truck while he went inside a strip club to drink, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.  —  Santos Barillas, 24, of Canoga Park, faces several charges …

How Mexico Got Back in the Game  —  IN India, people ask you about China, and, in China, people ask you about India: Which country will become the more dominant economic power in the 21st century?  I now have the answer: Mexico.  —  Impossible, you say?  Well, yes, Mexico …

The Plague Years, in Film and Memory  —  What it's like when the worst years of your life get rolled up into an Oscar-nominated documentary  —  That look on my face pretty much encapsulates the year, 1991, in a nutshell.  (Bob Huff/YouTube)  —  “Remember when they burnt those people's house down?”

Firefox OS Will Take On Apple And Google In The Smartphone Wars, Starting This Summer  —  A new Firefox operating system for mobile devices is set for a July release after winning the backing of 13 wireless service providers around the globe, including Spain's Telefonica, China Unicom and America Movil.

Bobby Jindal: Republicans Can Continue Discriminating Against Gays And Still Win Elections  —  Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-LA) — a possible Republican candidate for president in 2016 — rejected former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman's argument that conservatives must embrace marriage equality for gays …

Emotional Pope says God asked him to retire  —  Pope Benedict XVI delivered an emotional last Sunday prayer in St Peter's Square, saying God had told him to devote himself to prayer but assuring supporters he would not “abandon” the Church.  —  Tens of thousands of supporters turned …

The big sequester gamble: How badly will the cuts hurt?  —  Evan Vucci/AP - President Barack Obama speaks in Chicago Feb. 15, 2013.  The president and congressional Republicans each seem content with the political ground they hold and are prepared to let across-the-board spending cuts take effect on March 1.