10 things you need to know today: March 7, 2012

1. ROMNEY PREVAILS IN OHIO, BARELY

Mitt Romney narrowly won the Republican presidential primary in Ohio, but strong Super Tuesday showings by Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich ensured that the battle for the GOP nomination would go on. Romney also took Massachusetts, Virginia, Vermont, Idaho, and Alaska. Santorum won in Oklahoma, Tennessee, and North Dakota, which, along with his near-victory in Ohio, demonstrated his ability to draw blue-collar voters. Gingrich won in his home state of Georgia, reinforcing his strategy of focusing on the South. [Washington Post]

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2. KUCINICH LOSES HOUSE SEAT

Two-time presidential candidate and eight-term congressman Dennis Kucinich (D-Ohio) suffered a blow on Tuesday, losing his re-election bid to Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-Ohio). A new Republican-drawn congressional map pitted the two incumbents against each other and threatened to end Kucinich's colorful career. The anti-war icon has said he's considering moving to Washington state and running in a left-leaning district there. [Washington Post]

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3. SIX BRITISH SOLDIERS MISSING IN AFGHANISTAN

Six British troops are believed to have been killed after an explosion struck their armored vehicle in southern Afghanistan. If their deaths are confirmed, the incident would be the biggest loss of life for the U.K. in Afghanistan since 2006. Britain has suffered more casualties in Afghanistan than any other country except the U.S. [Associated Press]

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4. LAW ENFORCEMENT ARRESTS ANONYMOUS HACKERS

Authorities on Tuesday arrested five alleged hackers said to be high-ranking members of the Anonymous hacking group who played key roles in highly publicized cyberattacks on large companies and the government. The suspects were rounded up in the U.S. and Europe and charged in a Manhattan federal court. [CNN]

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5. OBAMA ATTACKS GOP FOR CALLING FOR WAR IN IRAN

On Tuesday, President Obama scolded hawkish Republican critics of his handling of rising tension with Iran. "When I see the casualness with which some of these folks talk about war, I'm reminded of the costs involved in war," he said. "This is not a game… And there's nothing casual about it." [New York Times]

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6. U.N. AID CHIEF ARRIVES IN SYRIA

Valerie Amos, the United Nations humanitarian chief, visited Syria's Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Damascus on Wednesday. Amos is also headed to the ravaged city of Homs, hoping to persuade authorities to allow aid workers in to all corners of the country to assist civilians. [Reuters]

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7. REP. DONALD M. PAYNE DIES

Rep. Donald M. Payne (D-N.J.) passed away Tuesday following a battle with colon cancer. He was 77. The 12-term congressman was the first African-American representative elected from New Jersey, and a vocal advocate for education, global health, and aid to Africa. [Washington Post]

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8. NEXT IPAD COULD HAVE "FEEL SCREEN"

Apple is widely expected to unveil a third version of the iPad at a highly publicized event in San Francisco on Wedensday. One of the rumored features of the next iPad is an ultra-tactile touchscreen that would be able to deliver "virtual textures" and bumps to a user's fingertips. [Slashgear]

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9. FOX CANCELS TERRA NOVA

Fox has scrapped Terra Nova, the expensive dinosaur series that counted Steven Spielberg as an executive producer. Twentieth Century Fox Television, the studio that makes the science-fiction drama, said to cost $4 million an episode, is looking for another network to carry the show, in part because of its popularity abroad. [New York Times]

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10. GOOGLE PLAY TO TAKE ON ITUNES

In a move seen as a challenge to Apple's iTunes Store and Amazon Instant Video, Google on Tuesday announced a new cloud-based entertainment hub called Google Play. The service rebrands and brings together Google Music, Android Market, and Google eBookstore under a single umbrella, offering users a single location where they can buy or rent movies, music, e-books, games, and apps. [CBS News]