10 things you need to know today: March 12, 2012

1. AFGHAN MASSACRE PROMPTS CALLS FOR U.S. EXIT

An unstable U.S. soldier allegedly went on a brutal killing spree Sunday in southern Afghanistan, killing 16 villagers, including women and children, in their own homes. The massacre, which comes just weeks after violent protests over American soldiers burning Muslim holy books, has sparked calls for U.S. forces to immediately withdraw. On Monday, in a statement on its website, the Taliban vowed to "take revenge from the invaders and the savage murderers for every single martyr." [Reuters]

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2. OBAMA'S RATINGS SINK AS GAS PRICES RISE

Despite a brightening economic outlook and rising employment, a record number — 50 percent — of Americans now give the president a "strongly" negative rating on his handling of the economy, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. Rising gas prices are to blame for Obama's low marks, with only 26 percent of those polled approving of the president handling of the pricey problems at the pump. [Washington Post]

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3. IRAQI KILLERS REPORTEDLY TARGET "EMO" YOUTH

Dozens of young people have been killed in Iraq in recent weeks, following chilling threats by religious hardliners against anyone dressed in the gothic, "emo" style. Many emo youths in the country report harassment and threats, often because their appearance is closely associated with homosexuality, which is strictly taboo among Iraq's devout Muslims. Several clerics and at least one police official have spoken out against the emo movement's dramatic look and macabre music, calling it satanic and vowing to stamp it out. [Washington Post]

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4. GOP VOTERS PREFER SANTORUM

According to a new CBS News-New York Times poll, GOP voters nationwide prefer Rick Santorum to Mitt Romney, 34 to 30 percent, but the vast majority of them, 73 percent, expect Romney to win the nomination. On Tuesday, Mississippi and Alabama hold their primaries. While the South hasn't typically been hospitable to Romney, he's expected to benefit from voters being split between Santorum and Newt Gingrich. [CBS News]

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5. KONY VIDEO GETS INTERNATIONAL COURT SUPPORT

The chief prosecutor at the International Criminal Court, Luis Moreno Ocampo, has spoken out in support of the Kony 2012 viral video. The half-hour documentary calls attention to the atrocities committed by Ugandan warlord Joseph Kony and his Lord's Resistance Army, but the group behind the video, Invisible Children, has been criticized over its methods and intentions. Invisible Children says it will release a new video Monday in response to the criticism. [Telegraph]

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6. VIOLENCE IN SYRIA'S HOMS CONTINUES

On Monday, the Syrian opposition reported that at least a dozen people, including children, had been killed in the latest round of violence in the devastated Syrian city of Homs. Syrian stated media confirmed the deaths but put the blame on "armed terrorists." On Sunday, UN special envoy Kofi Annan left Damascus having failed to secure a ceasefire deal in two meetings with President Bashar al-Assad. [Associated Press]

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7. INSTAGRAM HITS 27 MILLION USERS

Over the weekend at the South by Southwest festival, Instagram co-founder Kevin Systom announced that the photo-sharing-and-tinting app had reached 27 million users and said an Android version would be available "very soon." [The Register]

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8. TIGER ABRUPTLY WITHDRAWS FROM TOURNAMENT

On Sunday afternoon, in the middle of his final round, Tiger Woods abruptly dropped out of the WGC-Cadillac Championship, citing an Achilles-tendon injury in his left leg. Woods first injured his left Achilles last year, causing him to miss two major tournaments in 2011. The timing is especially bad given that the Masters is just three weeks away. [Washington Post]

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9. NEW IPADS SELL OUT, RUNNING LATE

Due to what Apple is calling "off the charts" demand, customers who pre-ordered the new iPad online will not receive their shiny new tablets by March 16, as they were previously promised. Apple is now saying that the tablets of those who ordered early will now ship on March 19, while others may have to wait for up to three weeks. [Computerworld]

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10. OPRAH INTERVIEWS HOUSTON'S DAUGHTER

On Sunday, Oprah Winfrey's OWN network broadcast an interview with Whitney's Houston's daughter Bobbi Kristina Brown. In her first interview since her mother's death, Brown told Oprah that "Sometimes it's so surreal. I still walk into the house, like, 'Mom?' But I've accepted it." [BBC News]