10 things you need to know today: February 23, 2012

1. ROMNEY PUTS SANTORUM ON THE DEFENSIVE

In the final GOP debate before Super Tuesday, Mitt Romney fiercely challenged Rick Santorum's conservative principles on Wednesday. Romney and Ron Paul attacked Santorum for voting in favor of earmarks in the Senate, supporting George W. Bush's No Child Left Behind law, and backing a provision that financed Planned Parenthood. [New York Times]

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2. JOURNALISTS TARGETED IN SYRIA

In the wake of the deaths of reporter Marie Colvin and photographer Remi Ochlik in Syria, officials and activists say Syrian forces were given direct orders to kill Western journalists to prevent them from telling the world about the regime's shelling of unarmed civilians in Homs. Neighboring Lebanon reportedly intercepted radio communications between Syrian army officers discussing plans to claim reporters had been killed in crossfire with "terrorist groups." [Telegraph]

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3. ATTACKS IN IRAQ KILL 50

At least 50 people were killed and 225 wounded Thursday in an apparently coordinated series of bombings and shootings across Iraq. Security forces were targeted in what would seem to be the latest violent efforts by al Qaeda militants to destabilize the region. [Associated Press]

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4. HUGUELY CONVICTED OF SECOND-DEGREE MURDER

A jury on Wednesday found former University of Virginia lacrosse player George Huguely V guilty of second-degree murder in the 2010 death of his former girlfriend, Yeardley Love. The defense had sought a manslaughter conviction, portraying Love's death as a "tragic accident." Huguely was sentenced to 26 years in prison. [Washington Post]

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5. TWO U.S. SOLDIERS DIE IN KORAN BACKLASH

As violent anti-American protests continue across Afghanistan over the burning of Muslim holy books at a NATO prison, an Afghan soldier turned on his allies Thursday, shooting two American soldiers dead and wounding four others. [CBS News]

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6. VIRGINIA GOVERNOR WANTS ABORTION BILL CHANGES

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell (R) told fellow Republicans on Wednesday that they needed to make changes to a proposed law requiring women to have a vaginal ultrasound before getting an abortion. McDonnell said the ultrasound should be abdominal rather vaginal, a procedure some critics of the bill have compared to rape. [New York Times]

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7. GOOGLE TO RELEASE ANDROID-POWERED GOGGLES

Google reportedly has plans to sell eyeglasses that will use GPS and motion sensors to add layers of information, entertainment, and advertisements to users' vision. The glasses are expected to go on sale later this year and are already raising privacy and usability concerns. [New York Times]

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8. FDA BACKS WEIGHT-LOSS DRUG QNEXA

A panel of medical experts advising the FDA issued a strong endorsement for the weight-loss drug Qnexa on Wednesday, paving the way for its approval. The controversial drug, which has been shown to increase the risk of birth defects and cause an increase in heart rate in trials, would be the first new prescription obesity medication since 1999. [Los Angeles Times]

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9. STUDY REAFFIRMS IMPORTANCE OF COLONOSCOPIES

A new long-term study is being called "the best evidence yet" that colonoscopy screenings drastically reduce deaths from colorectal cancer. [New York Times]

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10. WHITNEY HOUSTON COFFIN PIC SPARKS CONTROVERSY

A National Enquirer cover photo purporting to show Whitney Houston in her coffin is being called "shocking and disturbing." It's unclear how the tabloid got the photo, which hasn't been verified, but critics say the editors were wrong to feature it. [Washington Post]