10 things you need to know today: April 2, 2012
Experts analyze the Trayvon Martin 911 call, Arab states pay Syrian rebels, and more in our roundup of the stories that are making news and driving opinion
1. AUDIO EXPERTS SAY SCREAMING NOT GEORGE ZIMMERMAN
Two forensic voice identification experts have concluded that the voice heard crying for help on a 911 tape just before Trayvon Martin was shot and killed is not that of George Zimmerman. Zimmerman told police he was the one who screamed for help, and that he shot the unarmed teen in self-defense. The experts are divided as to whether they can confirm that it was Martin screaming for help. One says that this audio evidence could be used in court. [MSNBC]
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2. ARAB STATES TO PAY SYRIAN OPPOSITION
At the Friends of Syria conference on Sunday, Arab states agreed to pay rebel fighters in the first formal show of international support. The monthly stipend of several million dollars will likely be used to purchase weapons on the black market. The U.S. has said it will give an additional $12.2 million in humanitarian aid to Syria. Although Syrian President Bashar al-Assad accepted a proposed U.N. peace plan last week, fighting has continued. [Washington Post]
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3. MYANMAR WELCOMES A 'NEW ERA'
On Monday, pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi claimed her landslide, landmark victory in Sunday's by-elections in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma. "We hope that this will be the beginning of a new era," she said. Suu Kyi is poised to get a seat in Myanmar's parliament, while her National League for Democracy party appears to have won 43 of the 45 contested seats. [CNN]
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4. SIBERIA PLANE CRASH KILLS 31
Thirty-one people are dead after a passenger plane crashed in Siberia Monday morning. Twelve survivors are hospitalized in serious condition. There have been a number of deadly plane crashes in Russia in recent years, and the safety of the country's Soviet-era aircraft, air travel infrastructure, and lax government controls have been questioned. [Associated Press]
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5. MAJOR OBAMA DONOR FACES FRAUD CHARGES
Abake Assongba, a top Obama campaign donor who has given more than $50,000 to the president's re-election campaign, has been accused of impersonating a bank official and defrauding a businessman. She's also currently facing a civil suit after being accused of stealing more than $650,000 to build a mansion in Florida. [Associated Press]
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6. MEGA MILLIONS WINNERS STILL A MYSTERY
As of Sunday night, none of the three lucky winners of Friday's record-breaking $656 million Mega Millions lottery had come forward to claim their prize. The winners face some big financial decisions with their newfound wealth, including whether to take the cash in a lump sum or in a series of 26 annual payments. [Wall Street Journal]
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7. SARAH PALIN TO CO-HOST TODAY SHOW
The grizzly mama and former Alaska governor will co-host NBC's Today show on Tuesday. Palin's gig will make for an ironic morning show matchup. Katie Couric, who notoriously grilled Palin when she was running for vice president, is guest hosting ABC's Good Morning America all week. She was a Today co-host for 15 years before jumping ship to CBS. [CNN]
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8. EUROZONE UNEMPLOYMENT HITS RECORD HIGH
Unemployment in the 17 countries that use the euro hit 10.8 percent in February. That's the highest the jobless rate has been since the currency was introduced, in 1999, and the eighth straight month it has increased. [Washington Post]
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9. COAST GUARD RESCUES TWO U.K. SAILORS
On Sunday, the U.S. Coast Guard rescued two British sailors off the California coast. The sailors were injured when a huge wave struck their 70-foot yacht. They are being treated aboard the Coast Guard cutter until it reaches San Francisco Bay on Monday. [Associated Press]
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10. ITUNES PULLS 'STALKER' APP
The makers of Girls Around Me, an app that gets information from Facebook and Foursquare to alert users of women in their vicinity, have pulled it from the iTunes store following an outcry that it was a tool for stalkers. [TG Daily]
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