1. VIDEO SHOWS ZIMMERMAN AFTER TRAYVON MARTIN KILLING
In video of George Zimmerman taken at the police station after he shot Trayvon Martin, Zimmerman appears to have no bruises or blood on him, despite his claims that he fired in self-defense after the slain teen slammed his head against the ground and hit him in the nose. A police report did say Zimmerman had blood coming from his head and nose. It has also emerged that the lead homicide investigator on the case initially wanted to arrest Zimmerman and charge him with manslaughter. A prosecutor, however, told him not to file charges because there was not sufficient evidence. [ABC News]
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2. CONSERVATIVE JUDGES TO DECIDE OBAMACARE'S FATE
The Supreme Court wrapped up three days of public arguments on President Obama's health-care reform on Wednesday. The high court will issue a decision in June. The four liberal justices seemed to support the legislation. Republican-appointed Justices Antonin Scalia and Samuel Alito seemed hostile to it, while Clarence Thomas was typically quiet but is expected to deem the law unconstitutional. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Anthony Kennedy, both also appointed by GOP presidents, are considered the swing votes, and asked questions and made statements during the arguments that seemed in support of both sides of the debate. [Associated Press]
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3. ARAB SUMMIT CONSIDERS SYRIA PEACE PLAN
On Thursday, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met with Arab leaders in Iraq to talk about the U.N.'s peace plan for Syria. Arab states are divided over how to handle the violence and Assad without destabilizing the region. Syria signed off on the U.N.'s peace initiative earlier in the week, but violence continued on Wednesday, and the U.S. State Department and Syrian opposition groups said there are no signs that Syria is adhering to the peace plan. [Reuters]
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4. ROMNEY GETS TWO KEY GOP ENDORSEMENTS
Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) surprised everyone on Wednesday by endorsing Mitt Romney. The endorsement from the Latino Tea Party favorite is fueling talk that he might be looking to be Mitt's running mate. The Romney camp says George H.W. Bush will issue a formal endorsement Thursday. It's unclear whether his son and fellow former president George W. Bush will also offer his endorsement. [Associated Press]
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5. JETBLUE PILOT HIT WITH FEDERAL CHARGES
Late Wednesday, federal prosecutors filed charges against Clayton Frederick Osbon, the JetBlue pilot who had a midair meltdown on a flight from New York to Las Vegas on Tuesday. In an apparent psychiatric episode, Osbon yelled about a bomb, told passengers to pray, and banged on the cockpit door after his co-pilot wisely locked him out. He is charged with interfering with in-flight crew members. If convicted, he could face up to 20 years in prison. [CBS/Associated Press]
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6. FACEBOOK GOING PUBLIC IN MAY
According to a Wall Street Journal report, Facebook is targeting a May IPO. According to Facebook's filing in early February, its initial public offering could raise up to $10 billion, valuing the company at $100 billion. [Wall Street Journal]
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7. APPLE'S TIM COOK VISITS CHINESE FACTORIES
In a break with company tradition, Apple CEO Tim Cook is conducting official business in China, where he has met with high-level officials and visited the assembly line at a factory of Apple supplier Foxconn (as shown in a photo uncharacteristically released by Apple). Steve Jobs never took such a publicized trip to China, even as Apple faced criticism about its supply chain in the country. China's vice premier, Li Keqiang, reportedly told Cook he hoped international companies would take better care of their Chinese workers. [Associated Press]
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8. ANCHORMAN SEQUEL GETS GREEN LIGHT
On Conan O'Brien's talk show Wednesday night, Will Ferrell broke the news that Paramount Pictures has given the green light to a sequel to 2004's Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy. According to reports, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, and David Koechner will all reprise their roles from the first film. [Huffington Post]
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9. ADVERTISERS RETURNING TO LIMBAUGH
A month after Rush Limbaugh incited widespread outrage and an advertiser exodus by calling Georgetown law student Sandra Fluke "a slut" and "a prostitute," stations that air his program are supporting him and advertisers are coming back. A spokesperson for a Limbaugh syndicator says that "contrary to the wishful thinking of the professional special interest groups, reports of sponsors fleeing the Rush Limbaugh Show are grossly exaggerated." [Washington Post]
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10. CANCER RATES ON THE DECLINE
According to a report released Wednesday, the rates of new cancers and overall cancer deaths in the U.S. are continuing to fall. Officials credit better treatments and screening methods. [Associated Press]
