1. NORTH KOREA ALLEGEDLY PREPPING FOR NUCLEAR TEST
South Korean intelligence officials say satellite images show that North Korea is prepping for a purported third nuclear test. The report comes as North Korea gave journalists tours of the launch site where it's housing a soon-to-launch long-range rocket that Pyongyang claims will carry only a weather satellite into space. But the U.S., Japan, and South Korea believe that the North is using the weather satellite as a cover to test a long-range ballistic missile. If North Korea goes ahead with the launch, it will be in direct violation of its promises not to engage in nuclear or missile activity. [Associated Press]
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2. 60 MINUTES VETERAN MIKE WALLACE DIES
Mike Wallace, the 60 Minutes newsman known for being a fierce interrogator, died Saturday. "He loved the fact that if he showed up for an interview, it made people nervous," his long-time producer at 60 Minutes, Jeff Fager, said. The 21-time Emmy-winner was 93. [Associated Press]
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3. HOPE FOR SYRIAN CEASEFIRE WANES
Though the Syrian government had promised to withdraw its troops from cities and suburban areas by Tuesday, a ceasefire is looking increasingly unlikely. Fighting broke out along Syria's border with Turkey on Monday, and opposition activists say the regime has grown increasingly violent ahead of the April 10 deadline. Human Rights Watch says government forces have summarily executed more than 100 civilians in recent days. [CNN]
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4. TULSA SHOOTINGS SUSPECTS TO APPEAR IN COURT
Alvin Watts and Jake England, the two white men accused in a series of shootings in predominantly black neighborhoods in Tulsa, Okla., are due to appear in court Monday to be charged for murdering three people and wounding two others. Investigators are still determining whether the violence was racially motivated, which would make the shooting spree a hate crime. [CNN]
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5. IRAN TO RESUME NUCLEAR TALKS WITH WEST
Iran has agreed to a new round of nuclear talks with the U.S., China, Russia, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Iran has indicated that it may offer up a compromise by agreeing to stop producing the majority of its most highly enriched uranium while still enriching some uranium to lower levels for energy purposes. Still, analysts say that compromise may not be enough to satisfy the West. The talks are scheduled to begin Friday. [CNN]
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6. MATERNAL OBESITY INCREASES BABY'S AUTISM RISK
In a survey of 1,000 children, researchers found that children born to mothers who were obese or suffered from diabetes or hypertension while pregnant were 60 percent more likely to be autistic or have other developmental delays. [ABC News]
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7. BUBBA WATSON WINS MASTERS
Bubba Watson won his first green jacket in the Master's Tournament on Sunday, beating South African Louis Oosthuizen on the second playoff hole in a dramatic Masters showdown. Watson carved a wedge from deep in the trees to par the hole and win the tournament. Oosthuizen himself got a 235-yard double eagle on the par 5 second hole; it was only the fourth double eagle in Masters history. [Associated Press]
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8. GINGRICH SAYS ROMNEY LIKELY GOP NOMINEE
In an interview on Fox News Sunday, Newt Gingrich conceded that Mitt Romney is "far and away the most likely" nominee, and said he is committed to helping Romney defeat President Obama in November. Still, Gingrich has said he won't drop out of the race just yet, as he wants to influence the party platform. [Fox News]
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9. NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH MOVIE IN LIMBO
Following the death of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black Florida teenager, at the hands of a neighborhood watch captain, the fate of a summer comedy called Neighborhood Watch is in question. The film stars Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, and Jonah Hill as neighborhood watch members who defend their suburban neighborhood from aliens. The studio behind it, 20th Century Fox, has quietly withdrawn the trailer and ads for the movie. [MSNBC]
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10. HUNGER GAMES BEATS TITANIC 3-D
The Hunger Games was the top movie at the box office for the third consecutive weekend, beating out American Reunion in its opening weekend and Titanic in 3-D, which opened Wednesday. [Los Angeles Times]
