(CNN) It's not just beads that get flung during Mardi Gras parades. Stilettos and toilet plungers get tossed, too! Here's what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and Out the Door . (You can also get "5 Things You Need to Know Today" delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here .)

1. Budget proposal

The Pentagon's the big winner in President Donald Trump's $4.4 trillion budget proposal . Trump, who wants to increase "arsenals of virtually every weapon," asked for $686 billion, one of the largest military spending requests in US history. Meanwhile, diplomats are taking it on the chin. Trump's budget would trim funds for the State Department by almost a third, to $39.3 billion . That provoked sharp criticism from lawmakers, retired military leaders and others, who argued that it would undermine US security and leadership.

Elsewhere in the proposal, there's $17 billion to fight the opioid epidemic , $18 billion for a border wall, $2 billion for a new FBI headquarters and a controversial idea to cut spending on food stamps by $130 billion over 10 years by replacing nearly half of poor Americans' monthly cash benefits with a box of food

2. South Africa

South African President Jacob Zuma will soon learn his fate. His party, the African National Congress, held a marathon meeting to discuss its standoff with him. The decision made at that meeting will be announced this morning . The ANC, South Africa's ruling party, wants the scandal-plagued President to step down, but Zuma refuses. If the party decides to "recall" Zuma, the move would effectively end his presidency.

Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career South African President Jacob Zuma was in office for nearly a decade. As head of the party that led South Africa out of apartheid, Zuma won elections in 2009 and 2014. But he has also been dogged by criminal investigations and corruption allegations. Dubbed the "Teflon" President, Zuma survived a half dozen no-confidence votes before finally resigning on February 14. Hide Caption 1 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career In 1991, Zuma casts a vote for the ANC's new national executive. The ANC is the African National Congress, the political party that has led South Africa since the end of apartheid. For many years, the ANC and other opposition parties were banned in South Africa. Hide Caption 2 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career Zuma campaigns with ANC leader Nelson Mandela, left, during South Africa's first democratic elections in 1994. Mandela was elected President. Zuma became the ANC's national chairman later that year. Hide Caption 3 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career President Mandela is flanked by Zuma and Deputy President Thabo Mbeki, left, at the ANC's National Congress in 1997. At this conference, Mandela announced that he would be stepping down as president of the ANC and leaving it to Mbeki. Zuma would become the party's deputy president. After Mbeki was elected to be the country's President in 1999, Zuma was appointed as his deputy. Hide Caption 4 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career In 2005, a South African court found businessman Schabir Shaik guilty of bribing Zuma between 1995 and 2002. Zuma, seen here replying to a question in Parliament, was fired by President Mbaki over his alleged involvement in the bribery scandal. Hide Caption 5 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career Zuma leaves the Johannesburg High Court in February 2006. He had been charged with raping a young family friend; he claimed the sex was consensual. Zuma was acquitted a few months later. Hide Caption 6 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career Zuma is congratulated by his attorney after his acquittal in May 2006. Hide Caption 7 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career Zuma gives an interview the day after his acquittal. He apologized to the nation and launched a bid for the presidency. Hide Caption 8 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career Zuma, right, is congratulated by Mbeki after defeating him to become the new president of the ANC in December 2007. Hide Caption 9 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career From left, Zuma, Mandela and Mbeki arrive on stage for Mandela's 90th birthday celebration in August 2008. Hide Caption 10 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career Zuma sings and dances after a speech at a rally in February 2009. Zuma was elected as South Africa's President a couple of months later. Hide Caption 11 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career Zuma takes an oath during his inauguration in May 2009. Hide Caption 12 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton addresses journalists next to Zuma in August 2009. The two met in Durban, South Africa. Hide Caption 13 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career Zuma addresses the United Nations General Assembly in September 2009. Hide Caption 14 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career Zuma signs a blackboard in October 2009, pledging South Africa's support for a global campaign to ensure education for all the world's children. Hide Caption 15 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career Zuma sings and dances with his new wife, Thobeka Mabhija, at their wedding ceremony in January 2010. It was the fifth marriage for the polygamous Zuma. Hide Caption 16 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career Zuma inspects the troops at a ceremonial welcome in London in March 2010. Hide Caption 17 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career Zuma looks at a chess set with Britain's Queen Elizabeth II during his state visit in 2010. The chess set had been given to the Queen by Nelson Mandela in 1996. Hide Caption 18 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career Zuma and FIFA President Sepp Blatter address the crowd before the opening match of the 2010 World Cup. South Africa was the first African country to host the tournament. Hide Caption 19 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career Zuma, left, and Sky Sports commentator Chris Kamara play a charity soccer match in Cape Town, South Africa, in July 2010. Hide Caption 20 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career Zuma shakes hands with Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner at a G20 Summit in Seoul, South Korea, in November 2010. Hide Caption 21 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career Zuma addresses dignitaries during the opening ceremony of an International Olympic Committee session in July 2011. The IOC was meeting to decide which city would host the 2018 Winter Games. Hide Caption 22 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career Zuma greets American civil-rights activist Jesse Jackson at a ceremony in Bloemfontein, South Africa, in January 2012. Hide Caption 23 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career Zuma toasts his 70th birthday in April 2012. Hide Caption 24 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career Zuma looks at Cyril Ramaphosa after Ramaphosa was elected deputy president of the ANC in December 2012. Zuma was re-elected as the party's president. Hide Caption 25 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career Zuma sings during a send-off ceremony for former President Nelson Mandela, who died in December 2013 at the age of 95. Hide Caption 26 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career Zuma unveils a giant statue of Mandela at the Union Buildings in Pretoria, South Africa, in December 2013. Hide Caption 27 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career Zuma and his wife Thobeka Mabhija, right, pose with then Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe and his wife, Grace, as they meet in Pretoria in April 2015. Hide Caption 28 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career US President Barack Obama jokes with Zuma during a New York luncheon hosted by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in September 2015. Hide Caption 29 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career Zuma poses for a photo following a television interview in October 2015. Hide Caption 30 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career Zuma and Obama shake hands before a group photo at the G20 Summit in Hangzhou, China, in September 2016. In November of that year, a report was published that contained corruption allegations against Zuma. Zuma denied any wrongdoing. He also avoided a vote of no-confidence in Parliament. It was the third time in less than a year that Zuma had faced such a vote. Hide Caption 31 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career Zuma talks on his cell phone during a G20 session in Hamburg, Germany, in July 2017. A month later, he survived an ouster attempt in his country's National Assembly. A motion of no-confidence was defeated by 198 votes to 177. Hide Caption 32 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career Zuma attends an African Union summit in January 2018. Hide Caption 33 of 34 Photos: Jacob Zuma's embattled political career

"No life should be lost in my name and also the ANC should never be divided in my name. I have therefore come to the decision to resign as President of the Republic with immediate effect." Zuma speaks to the nation at the Union Buildings in Pretoria on February 14. He announced his resignation during the nationally televised address."No life should be lost in my name and also the ANC should never be divided in my name. I have therefore come to the decision to resign as President of the Republic with immediate effect." Hide Caption 34 of 34

3. Oxfam sex scandal

Oxfam's deputy chief executive quit amid the growing sex scandal involving the British aid organization's workers. The resignation of Penny Lawrence was announced after Oxfam execs meet with British government officials. Oxfam gets millions in public funding, now in jeopardy because of the scandal. Oxfam's workers are accused of hiring prostitutes while working in Haiti (after the 2010 earthquake) and in Chad. The organization also is accused of trying to cover it all up.

JUST WATCHED Oxfam deputy chief resigns over sex scandal Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Oxfam deputy chief resigns over sex scandal 00:53

4. Gun sales

One of the great ironies of the Trump presidency has been that gun sales have slumped significantly since the President, a vocal supporter of the Second Amendment, took office. (Sales skyrocketed during Barack Obama's presidency.) The sales slump, combined with legal woes, have caused gun maker Remington to file for bankruptcy . Remington, one of the oldest gun companies in the world, plans to file for Chapter 11. It will stay in business while it restructures its debt.

5. Climate change

The seas are rising at a faster rate every year, and climate change is behind it. That's the gist of a new study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. It uses 25 years' worth of satellite data to determine the oceans have risen almost 3 inches since 1993. The dramatic rise is fueled by ice melting in Greenland and Antarctica. Scientists involved in the study predict the seas will rise another 2 feet by the end of the century, which is bad news for coastal communities worldwide.

JUST WATCHED Facts first: Climate change is real Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH Facts first: Climate change is real 01:48

Winter Olympics

HIRSCHER HUNGRY FOR HARDWARE: Austrian ski legend Marcel Hirscher finally won Olympic gold in the Alpine skiing men's combined event. Hirscher, who has been crowned World Cup champion in each of the last six seasons, had never enjoyed the ultimate Olympic success.

KEEPING UP WITH CHLOE KIM: , the 17-year-old wonder kid, clinched gold in the halfpipe with her first run and then wowed the crowd with a spectacular second effort to earn a near-perfect score of 98.25 out of 100. Shaun White will also be in action in the men's halfpipe, although the medal in the men's competition cannot be won until Wednesday. Chloe Kim , the 17-year-old wonder kid, clinched gold in the halfpipe with her first run and then wowed the crowd with a spectacular second effort to earn a near-perfect score of 98.25 out of 100. Shaun White will also be in action in the men's halfpipe, although the medal in the men's competition cannot be won until Wednesday.

DAVIS IN ACTION: World Record holder World Record holder Shani Davis is expected to make his debut at the Games in Pyeongchang today in the 1500-meter competition and the 1000-meter heats. Davis captured headlines before the Games had even begun with claims that he had lost the opportunity to be the US flag bearer at the opening ceremony on the toss of a coin.

"COLD WAR": The US women's ice hockey team will be looking to claim its second win as it faces off against the Olympic Athletes From Russia team. OAR was humiliated, losing 5-0 to Sweden in its opening group game.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

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Angry parents, boycott threats and an apology. Probably not what the makers of "Peter Rabbit" had in mind when they put in that food allergy scene.

A Romeo looking for Juliet

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HAPPENING LATER

'Chelsea bomber' sentencing

Ahmad Rahimi, the man convicted in the 2016 bombing in New York's Chelsea neighborhood that injured 30 people, Ahmad Rahimi, the man convicted in the 2016 bombing in New York's Chelsea neighborhood that injured 30 people, is set to be sentenced today in federal court in Manhattan.

NUMBER OF THE DAY

$2 to $7

That's how much more a ticket will cost you at Walt Disney World in Florida.

AND FINALLY ...

My funny Valentine