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A car bombing near the presidential palace in Beirut on Wednesday killed a top Lebanese army officer. The victim was widely expected to succeed army Chief of Staff Michel Suleiman, who has emerged as the consensus candidate for president after months of political deadlock.

Also: Parts of Northeast get hit with spring snowstorm; U.S. and Afghanistan agree on defense plan; shelling resumes in Syria; John Edwards' trial begins in North Carolina.

The Jackson State Tigers will face the Florida Gators in the opening round of the NCAA men's basketball tournament. Tigers' head coach Tevester Anderson says his team will come to play.

The results mirror an earlier USA Todaycoaches poll that also put the Crimson Tide in the No. 1 spot. The team is going for a third-straight national title.

Also: Tensions remain high on the Korean Peninsula; President Obama reportedly plans to propose some cuts in projected spending on social programs; building collapse in India kills and injures dozens of people.

Also: Survivors have harrowing tales after Brazilian nightclub fire; unrest continues in Egypt; Toyota regains No. 1 spot among auto companies; French and Malian forces move into Timbuktu.

Barbara Bodine, the U.S. official assigned to govern central Iraq, will leave her post and return to the United States to take a position at the State Department. The move comes just days after the top civilian administrator in Iraq, retired Gen. Jay Garner, is replaced by L. Paul Bremer, a longtime State Department official. Bodine and Garner have been criticized for being slow to restore services and form an interim government. Hear NPR's Guy Raz.

One word soared because of historic events. The other rose because of Charlie Sheen. Other words or phrases that were used a lot include "Japan," "rad on Osama bin Laden" and "McLobster."

Also: George Saunders wins the Story Prize; and the murder trial continues for "blade runner" Oscar Pistorius.

Also: One Iowa Republican thinks Santorum might have won the caucuses; Iran plans more war games; gasoline prices start year at a high.