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People in countries like Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania rely on crucial undersea cables to keep them connected to the internet. A ship's anchor recently sliced one of those cables, so now web traffic is being re-routed to the company Seacom. Host Michel Martin talks with Seacom founder Brian Herlihy.

Women's History Month starts on Thursday. All through March, Tell Me More will dig into inspiring, bold and sometimes disturbing stories of notable women — from Cleopatra to Coco Channel. To launch the biography series, host Michel Martin talks with two essayists about why it's important to tell women's stories, and how that storytelling has evolved.

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MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

I'm Michel Martin, and this is TELL ME MORE, from NPR News. Coming up, if you have elementary school or even preschool types in your house, then you might have heard his voice as Tyrone on the Nickelodeon show "The Backyardigans." But now Jordan Coleman is a teenager, and as he became aware that some teens were experiencing violence in their dating lives, he decided to make a film about it, and he's going to tell us more about it in a few minutes.

Sixteen-year-old Jordan Coleman was a voice on the hit TV show The Backyardigans. Then he decided to write and direct his own films — the latest of which is Payin' the Price. He's showing it in multiple cities, and encouraging teens to "speak up and get out" if they are in abusive relationships. Coleman talks with host Michel Martin.

The New York Police Department has been monitoring Muslim students in cities as far as Philadelphia, Buffalo and Syracuse, according to the Associated Press. Americans question whether this is a privacy breach or a necessary safety measure. Host Michel Martin speaks with the an AP investigate reporter and a member of the national Muslim Students Association.

Two students have become the first black editors-in-chief of their college newspapers in Oregon, which has a black population of less than 2 percent. Host Michel Martin talks with Brandon Southward of Oregon State University and Tyree Harris of the University of Oregon.

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MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

I'm Michel Martin and this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. Today, we are going to bring you the last installment of our Black History Month series. All month long, we've been digging into some of the literature that has expanded our understanding of African-American lives through personal stories, the memoir.

We hope you enjoyed digging into our Black History Month memoirs as much as we did.

And if you are hungry for more good, true stories about people you may not know much about ... for Women's History Month, which starts on Thursday, we will be doing much the same thing.

We will be checking out recent biographies of famous and not so famous women whose life stories have been explored by talented writers.

Mitt Romney fended off Rick Santorum on Wednesday, winning the Arizona and Michigan primary races. The two have been vying for the top spot, but both candidates have been prone to gaffes. Host Michel Martin talks about the showdown with GOP strategist Ron Christie and Santorum supporter Bob Vander Plaats.

Many Google users are nervous about the tech giant's changes to its privacy policy, set to take effect on Thursday.

Google has already been collecting bits of personal information from its various services, but soon it will combine it all to produce more targeted ads.

So let's say you are signed into Gmail and you decide to watch a video on YouTube. And then you also check out your friend's vacation photos on Picasa. Well, Google will now combine all of that data to create a single, fuller portrait of you for advertisers.

Obama administration officials sent apologies after fatal riots broke out in Afghanistan, following the burning of Korans. But was saying sorry necessary? Host Michel Martin talks with two Muslim Americans with differing views: Arsalan Iftikhar, author of Islamic Pacifism, and Asra Nomani, who trains the U.S. military on cultural sensitivity.

Tricia Elam once worked in a small Washington, DC law firm — where she learned, to her dismay, that proper attire meant plain suits and flat shoes. But she discovered a way to combine her passions for justice and fashion. She shares her vision with host Michel Martin. Elam is profiled in this week's Washington Post Magazine.

Banks recently made huge profits from overdraft fees. Now the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau asks how much of that was bad money management by customers, and how much was banks gaming the system. Host Michel Martin talks with Washington Post Financial Reporter Ylan Mui and regular financial contributor Alvin Hall.

The non-profit Child Trends reports that a growing number of children are born to single mothers. Journalist Bonnie Goldstein — who was a single mom — argues that single women should think twice before deciding to have children. Host Michel Martin talks with Goldstein, single mom Resa Barillas, and Dani Tucker, a regular parenting contributor.

Host Michel Martin dishes on the wins, losses, and fashion faux pas of Sunday night's Academy Awards. She checks in with Wesley Morris, film critic for The Boston Globe, and Sheila Marikar, entertainment reporter and producer for ABCNews.Com.

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MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

And we are going to stay in Hollywood for this edition of the feature we call "In Your Ear." That's where we ask some of our guests to share the songs that keep them jamming.

Today, we hear from filmmaker Reginald Hudlin. He is a producer and director. He's also one of the few African-American voting members of the Academy Awards. And there's a bit of Oscar flavor to his playlist. Here it is.

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MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

I'm Michel Martin, and this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News.

Coming up, voters in the West African nation of Senegal took to the polls yesterday. But for the past month, election-related protests there have turned violent, something that has shocked this country with a tradition of peaceful and Democratic elections. We'll check in with NPR's Ofeibea Quist-Arcton for a report on what is behind the violence and how the voting actually proceeded over the weekend. That conversation is coming up.

Violent protests marked the run-up to Sunday's first round of presidential elections in Senegal. Unofficial vote counts indicate a possible run-off between incumbent President Abdoulaye Wade and a former prime minister. Critics say Wade's third term bid is unconstitutional, and they are concerned about corruption and the high cost of living. Host Michel Martin checks in with NPR's West Africa Correspondent Ofeibea Quist-Arcton.

A new collection of essays ponders the provocative question of whether black people are naturally cool or if they must work at it. Margo Jefferson and Helena Andrews share their thoughts in Black Cool: One Thousand Streams of Blackness. They speak with host Michel Martin.

A new case taking on affirmative action in higher education is set to be heard in the Supreme Court this fall. In 2003, the court ruled that universities could consider racial diversity in admissions. But today the make-up of the court is very different. Host Michel Martin discusses the case with two law school deans.

The Oglala Sioux Tribe filed a $500 million lawsuit against brewers and retailers, claiming they're responsible for the reservation's alcohol-related problems. The tribe lives on a dry reservation, but they claim nearby towns unlawfully sell alcohol to residents. Host Michel Martin speaks to a reporter and the tribe's attorney.

Host Michel Martin and the Barbershop guys discuss singers Chris Brown and Rihanna. Brown was convicted of assaulting Rihanna three years ago. Now, they've released remixes of songs featuring each other. The guys also weigh in on affirmative action and whether race should be considered in college admissions.

The Tell Me More inbox was flooded with reactions to an interview with David Bossie. The Citizens United Supreme Court case helped pave the way for Super PACs. Bossie says, "money is speech and people who can spend more, get more," but some listeners strongly disagree. Host Michel Martin and Editor Ammad Omar discuss listener feedback.

The Daytona 500, considered NASCAR's biggest race, takes place in Florida this weekend. Sixteen-year-old Annabeth Barnes aims to win that race someday. She's featured in the new PBS documentary Racing Dreams. Barnes talks with host Michel Martin about why she loves the sport and how being a minority on the track doesn't stop her ambition.

GOP hopefuls sparred again during Wednesday night's debate in Arizona. It was the final debate before the Michigan and Arizona primaries next week and Super Tuesday on March 6. Host Michel Martin discusses the latest election developments with GOP strategist Ron Christie and Janice Crouse of Concerned Women for America.

Many workers are considering whether a masters or doctorate degree will provide a competitive edge. Host Michel Martin explores the costs and benefits of getting one. She talks with Anthony Carnevale, director of Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce. He was recently profiled in The Washington Post Magazine.

The Los Angeles Times published a study claiming that more than 90 percent of Oscar voters are white, and more than three-quarters are male. The stats are raising questions about whether minorities and women are getting fair changes of winning awards. Host Michel Martin speaks with Reginald Hudlin, a black voter and film director.

Oscar Robertson is considered one of the NBA's greatest all-time players. He was diagnosed with stage three prostate cancer a little more than a year ago. He's now cancer-free and wants to raise awareness about screenings. He speaks with host Michel Martin about why many men may be afraid of getting tested.

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MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:

I'm Michel Martin and this is TELL ME MORE from NPR News. Coming up, it's our latest Black History Month memoir and we'll hear about a 15 year old honor student who went on to become the youngest member of New York's Black Panther party. We'll hear about his very interesting life in just a few minutes.

But first, we decided to head into the Beauty Shop. That's where we go to get a fresh cut on the week's news.

The Syrian government's crackdown against dissenters continues, and Western journalists were killed on Wednesday as forces shelled the city of Homs. Meanwhile in Libya, reports of torture are surfacing, and the interim government is struggling to control armed militias. Host Michel Martin talks with Al-Jazeera Washington Bureau Chief Abderrahim Foukara.