10 things you need to know today: April 10, 2012

1. GEORGE ZIMMERMAN LAUNCHES WEBSITE, SOLICITS DONATIONS

The neighborhood watch volunteer who shot and killed black teen Trayvon Martin, allegedly in self defense, has purportedly launched a website to ask for donations to pay his legal bills and to thank supporters. The website, therealgeorgezimmerman.com, also features what appears to be the first statement from Zimmerman since the incident incited an uproar across the country and the 28-year-old went into hiding. "On Sunday February 26th, I was involved in a life altering event which led me to become the subject of intense media coverage," it reads. "As a result of the incident and subsequent media coverage, I have been forced to leave my home, my school, my employer, my family and ultimately, my entire life." [MSNBC]

………………………………………………………………………………

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

2. SYRIA CLAIMS TO BE WITHDRAWING TROOPS

The Syrian government says it has started pulling troops out of some towns in compliance with a U.N-brokered cease-fire, but the opposition reports continued attacks by the regime. Britain's Syrian Observatory for Human Rights says government troops continued to fire on cities across the country Tuesday, though there seemed to be fewer attacks. Under the U.N. plan, all troops were to be pulled from towns and villages by Tuesday, and fighting is supposed to cease completely by Thursday. [Associated Press]

………………………………………………………………………………

3. INSTAGRAM USERS FRET OVER FACEBOOK DEAL

Some Instagram users are worried about the future of the popular photo-tinting-and-sharing app, following Monday's news that Facebook was purchasing it in a deal valued at $1 billion. Among the complaints are that Facebook will sully Instagram with new privacy issues, and that it will sap the photo app's cool. One tech blog has already posted instructions for deleting your entire Instagram account before Facebook can get hold of your photos. [CNN]

………………………………………………………………………………

4. OBAMA PUSHES MILLIONAIRE TAX

With Tax Day nearing, President Obama is once again playing up the issue of "tax fairness," a key component of his re-election campaign message. The president is expected to renew his call for the rich to pay at least a 30 percent tax rate during a speech in Florida on Tuesday. The principle is known as the "Buffett rule," so named after billionaire Warren Buffett who has said he pays a lower percentage of his income in taxes than does his secretary. [Los Angeles Times]

………………………………………………………………………………

5. GSA PLACES ANOTHER EMPLOYEE ON LEAVE

On Monday, the General Services Administration, a federal government department that provides support to other federal agencies, placed an eighth employee on leave. The latest personnel announcement comes as an investigation into a reckless $823,000 in spending on a Las Vegas conference continues. [CNN]

………………………………………………………………………………

6. RUMORS SWIRL ABOUT MUGABE'S HEALTH

Rumors are circulating after a Zimbabwe newspaper reported that the country's 88-year-old president fell ill on a visit to Singapore, with some saying the autocrat is on his "deathbed." Officials deny the rumors and insist that Mugabe is "energetic and alert," and enjoying time with his family. [Telegraph]

………………………………………………………………………………

7. NORTH KOREA READY FOR ROCKET LAUNCH

On Tuesday, North Korea said it was ready to go through with its much-criticized plan to launch a rocket into space, still insisting that the mission is a peaceful one, while many suspect that the launch — which is scheduled for sometime between Thursday and Sunday — is meant to test ballistic missile technology. If a missile is launched, the North would be in violation of U.N. resolutions. South Korea and other Asian countries have asked airlines to change their routes to avoid the rocket. [New York Times]

………………………………………………………………………………

8. DENTAL X-RAYS MAY INCREASE BRAIN-TUMOR RISK

A new study has found a link between certain types of dental X-rays and a common kind of brain tumor. Those who had had bitewing X-rays, where the patient bites down to hold the film in place, or panoramic panorex X-rays were significantly more likely to have meningioma than those who had not undergone the procedures. [Washington Post]

………………………………………………………………………………

9. WIRELESS COMPANIES, FCC TO BATTLE PHONE THEFT

The country's major wireless carriers and the Federal Communications Commission are working together to build a central database for stolen cellphones. The database will track stolen phones and disable their service, in an effort to deter phone theft. Officials say cellphone theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the country. [Wall Street Journal]

………………………………………………………………………………

10. TEEN BIRTH RATE HITS RECORD LOW

The teen birth rate fell 9 percent from 2009 to 2010, and now sits at a record low. According to a report from the National Center for Health Statistics, there are 34.3 teenage births per 1,000 women ages 15 to 19. That's the lowest rate since the 1940s, when the stats were first collected. [CNN]