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This may sound far-fetched, but football reminds me of Venice. Both are so tremendously popular, but it's the very things that made them so that could sow the seeds of their ruin.

Venice, of course, is so special because of its unique island geography, which, as the world's ecosystem changes, is precisely what now puts it at risk. And as it is the violent nature of football that makes it so attractive, the understanding of how that brutality can damage those who play the game is what may threaten it, even as now the sport climbs to ever new heights of popularity.

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Wal-Mart said today that it will soon begin offering a job to any newly discharged veteran who wants one. The offer comes at a time when new veterans are having a tough time finding work. Also, Wal-Mart CEO Bill Simon promised the company will increase the amount of products it buys from domestic sources.

NPR's Jim Zarroli tells us more about both announcements.

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The French defense minister says France is preparing for a possible land assault in Mali, so it plans to increase its troop levels to 2,500. Back home in France, authorities are girding for possible terrorist attacks in response to their intervention. Eleanor Beardsley has that story from Paris.

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The government of Turkey is vowing to push ahead with efforts to end its long-running conflict with Kurdish militants. That's despite the killings last week of three female Kurdish activists that were shot in Paris. The murders are seen as an effort to derail the peace talks before they gain traction.

As NPR's Peter Kenyon reports from Istanbul, Turkey, Turkey has pushed for peace before. But many wonder if the lessons from past failures have been absorbed.

Facebook has added a new feature that allows users to search their friends and posts. It also allows users to easily search and discover information about people who they might not have run into otherwise. It's the first big product announcement since Facebook went public.

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After years of denial, former cycling champion Lance Armstrong has reportedly admitted that he used performance-enhancing drugs. He made the admission as part of an extensive interview with Oprah Winfrey. It's scheduled to air over two nights beginning on Thursday. Few details have been released so far. On "CBS News This Morning," Oprah described the interview as difficult but said Armstrong was forthcoming.

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Now, Tom mentioned the Sunday Times of London. And earlier today, I spoke with the paper's chief sportswriter. His name is David Walsh and he was one of Lance Armstrong's primary targets among journalists who investigated doping. Armstrong called Walsh a troll, and the worst journalist in the world. Walsh has written four books on the cyclist, the most recent one titled "Seven Deadly Sins: My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong."

Today, I asked Walsh if he feels indicated.

As college students return to class from winter break this week, campuses around the nation are bracing for the possibility of a flu outbreak.