making news this morning, behind bars. >> it's the image protesters have waited to see. george zimmerman, walking into jail, charged with trayvon martin's murder. today, he faces a judge. also, the world watching north korea closely. its rocket launch expected at anytime. one that could deliver a weapon within u.s. borders. extreme weather in unlikely places. twisters in california. a deluge in texas. and the storm system is on the move. and a pop star's payday. the reported $15 million megadeal for britney spears. a new job that won't involve any singing.

good morning, everybody. we begin with that arrest for the killing of trayvon martin. for weeks, an outrage rippled across this country. george zimmerman was nowhere in sight. >> this morning, he is behind bars. seen everywhere in this police booking photo. later today, zimmerman will be in court to answer for the crime. abc's tahman bradley joins us with the details. good morning, tahman. >> reporter: good morning, paula and rob. the prosecutor decided to bring the toughest charges they could face. second-degree murder. all around the country, people are reacting to word that zimmerman has finally been charged. george zimmerman arrived at seminole county jail, charged with murdering trayvon martin. >> we filed an information, charging george zimmerman with murder in the second degree. >> reporter: if convicted, zimmerman could face life in prn. the special prosecutor's announcement was made after 45 days of heated tensions in

sanford, florida, and across the country, over the shooting death of the unarmed, black 17-year-old. >> it is the search for justice for trayvon that has brought us to this moment. >> reporter: trayvon martin's parents expressed relief. >> we just wanted an arrest. and we got it. >> reporter: across the country, the reaction was swift. >> it was long overdue. and i was glad that they finally decided to do something. >> reporter: zimmerman, a neighborhood watchman, claims self-defense, that he shot trayvon martin after the teenager attacked him. with all of the national attention, zimmerman's new attorney says his client is concerned about getting a fair trial. >> there's been a lot of information flowing. i think a lot of it has been both premature and maybe inappropriate. >> reporter: police did not arrest zimmerman, many believe, because of florida's stand your ground law, which gives people wide leeway to use force. >> it will be scrutinized. it will be evaluated and it will be debated throughout this case.

>> reporter: in court today, zimmerman's attorney will push for his release on bond. the justice department is still investigating whether to charge zimmerman with a hate crime. >> based on the booking photo, you can tell this has taken a physical toll on george zimmerman. but what about his mental health? any idea how he's doing? >> reporter: keep in mind, that zimmerman made the choice to turn himself in to police. his former lawyers said he was over the edge. but his new attorney says he has talked to him. and his mental health appears to be fine. although, he's worried about the serious charges. they're not worried about zimmerman's health. but they are concerned about his life and his safety. >> tahman bradley, live in washington this morning. thanks for that report, tahman. we turn to our other big story this morning, north korea, which has the whole world on-edge over a rocket launch. a rocket could go off when the launch window reopens at 6:00 p.m. eastern time tonight. north korea says they're putting a weather satellite into orbit.

but the u.s. says that any launch would break the ties. >> reporter: what's interesting is china, the international community, has been pushing china to rein in north korea. but china's saying, we don't have much influence on them. so, basically, they're taking a step back and watching policy. they're telling u.s. officials to relax. >> the countries most on-edge will be those in the rocket's path. it's expected to go south over the pill philippines and splash down in the waters off australia. and in syria, hot spots like the city of homs, are reportedly quiet this morning. that's in accordance with a u.n.-brokered cease-fire that took effect overnight. in the first hours of that truce, no major violence was reported. now, if it holds, and that's a big if, talks aimed on a transition are supposed to take place. now that rick santorum is out of the republican

presidential race, the real race for the white house between mitt romney and president obama, well, it is on. and the president has the edge when it comes to women. the voting bloc likely to be the election's decisive factor. polls find that men prefer romney by a modest margin. but in women, president obama is crushing his republican rival. and there's a first, all four women who served on the supreme court, appearing together. the justices were honoring the first-ever female justice, sandra day o'connor. it was a celebration marking the 30th anniversary of the start of canner's term. we're getting breaking news from the west coast. two earthquakes rattled the area around baja, mexico this morning. the strongest was a 7.1. no word on possible damage. they follow a series of big quakes late yesterday, along the u.s. and mexican west coast. none of those three caused any damage.

and we have no reports of any injuries, either. also weather news. a rare tornado touched down in central california, the city of stockton. the twister's wind speeds hit about 90 miles per hour, strong enough to lift a shed off its foundation. sheet metal, splintered wood in all directions. but no injuries here. and storms are pounding north texas along the panhandle. the swollen river washed out a highway near amarillo. the national weather service provided this picture of a firefighter standing in what looks like a pile of rocks. but, nope. these are drifts of hail, standing up to four feet tall. unbelievable. look at that. and the stormy weather is not over yet for that area. plan on more of the same today, for north texas, stretching to nebraska. adding a chance of a tornado, as well. expect plenty of wet weather in the west, with the rain at the lower elevations. and snow in the mountains from central california north into washington state.

some snow in the rockies. some rain in northern new england. >> and most of the country can expect seasonable temperatures in the 50s and 60s. warmer across the southern tier, especially along the eastern gulf coast, with highs in the 70s and 80s. so, up next, it's tax time. what are your chances of being audited this year? >> don't say the "a," word. and john edwards headed to court today. a trial that could send him away for years. and oops, she did it again. britney spears scores another multimillion-dollar de we're right back.

welcome back, everybody. there is encouraging news from the federal reserve this morning. the central bank's period report on the economy sees continued recovery at a modest pace. and even some improvement in jobs. that, plus some strong earnings reports and good news from europe, helped the markets yesterday bounce back from a five-day slide. tokyo's nikkei average was up 66 points today. hong kong's hang seng added 197. in london, the ftse opened higher. and on wall street, the dow gained 89 points yesterday. the nasdaq index was up 25. the government is expanding its investigation into fires in jeep wranglers. initial reports at centered only on the 2010 model year. but now, the agency wants data for six years. the wrangler is among the most popular in and the company cannot make them fast enough. the chances of a tax audit

is a little less this year. the irs is facing budget cuts, a hiring freeze and a complex tax code. the surge in the tax code, identity fraud is diverting the agency's resources. >> not that we're encouraging dishonesty out there. just want to put it out there. and the top profession in the u.s. is -- broadcaster, or not. software engineer. followed by actuary, and human resources manager. career casts looked at work environment, job outlook and income. the worst jobs in america, lumberjack, dairy former, and enlisted soldier. broadcaster is the tenth-worst job. not very affirming. >> took some wrong turns in our career. >> mom and dad must be so proud of us. coming up next on this thursday, if we decide to come back. a hospital miracle. grieving parents find their baby

very much alive. and road rage in the new car showroom. we're right back. ♪ [ female announcer ] walgreens introduces...nice! [ woman ] i got it. where's your brother? [ dog barking ] ♪ [ telephone rings ] [ dad ] hello. [ female announcer ] quality everyday products at a way better price. [ boy ] mom? ♪ [ female announcer ] now that's nice. come in now and get $2 off your next purchase when you spend $10 on nice products. sold only at walgreens. what ? customers didn't like it. so why do banks do it ? hello ? hello ?! if your bank doesn't let you talk to a real person 24/7, you need an ally.

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call this a case of offroad rage in moscow, russia. a customer tired of waiting to pick up his car at the dealership, took a loner car and turned it into a battering ram. after bursting through the showroom window, he plowed into every car in sight. employees held him down until police got there. final tally, 33 grand in debt. back here in the u.s., expect wet and sometimes flooded conditions along interstate 20, from dallas to midland. i-40, from oklahoma city to amarillo. and in the west, it will be wet along i-5, from seattle to sacramento. and icy in spots along i-80, from san fran to reno. if you're flying today,

airport delays are possible in salt lake city and in san francisco. the jurors who will decide the fate of former senator john edwards will be chosen, beginning today. >> edwards is going on trial for allegedly misuses campaign funds to help hide his pregnant mistress during his run for president back in '08. if he's convicted, edwards could spend 30 years behind bars. but the former senator says he did not do anything wrong. and 77-year-old mass murderer charles manson is all-but certain to die in prison. being denied bail for a 12th time. he and his followers were accused of killing nine people. the parole board said he made no effort to rehabilitate himself. he won't be eligible for parole again until he's 92. a suspect wanted for reckless driving took police for a wild ride on the 101 in l.a. last night. police say when he came to a stop, he jumped out of the passenger side and started to

shoot. he ran about 20 yards and the running gun battle came to an end when he took a shot and fell to the ground. and authorities say they are making significant progress in the hunt for those responsible for dozens of bomb threats at the university of pittsburgh. no bombs have been found since the threats began in mid-february. and a $15,000 reward is now being offered for information. but dozens of bomb threats. i can't imagine how disconcerting that has to be. and this morning, we have a truly stunning story out of argentina. a mother gave birth to her daughter prematurely. the baby was declared dead and taken to the hospital morgue. but when mom and dad went to see her body one final time, they found her alive. now, she's said to be doing just fine. the hospital is investigating how it all went so wrong. as you can imagine, the family says, yeah, they're going to sue. >> the baby was nailed in the coffin, left for dead. and new proof this morning that sleeplessness is bad for your health. researchers in boston found that too little sleep or disruptive

sleep, we've all been there, significantly increases the risk of diabetes. the suspects spent six weeks in a sleep lab, only allowed to sleep five hours aed a time. and in the end, their metabolism was slower. their blood sugars had spiked. that's a huge risk for shift workers and other people in our 24/7 culture. >> we're in one of the worst jobs in the country and we're going to die young. what a beautiful thursday this has been. it will be a unique sight on sunday, when major league players mark the 60th anniversary of jackie robinson's breaking, of course, of baseball's color barrier. they will all wear his number, 42. now, some of last night's sports highlights. we get those from our friends at espn news. >> i'm adnan virk with our "sportscenter" update. night one of the nhl playoffs. the flyers taking on sidney crosby and the penguins. kris letang, shot up front. watch sid the kid. he came back late in the season. was very productive.

and does not waste time in the postseason. later on, the pass to pascal dupuis. but bryzgalov calmed down. danny briere, his second of the night. and scott hartnell, on a power play, tipped in by braden shen. in overtime, the shot, the deflection. the flyers come back from 3-0, to a 4-3 in overtime, in pittsburgh, to take game one. elsewhere, kobe bryant sitting down again, with the lakers taking on the san antonio spurs. first quarter, lakers up by two. andrew bynum. the lakers led by three at the end of one. pau gasol missing the runner. but bynum there. 16 points and 30 rebounds. most rebounds for a laker since

kareem abdul-jabbar in february of '78. bryant is loving it. in the fourth quarter, more from world peace. flat-footed "j" as the shot clock expires. the lakers go to knock off the spurs, 98-84. make sure you join us for nba action on friday. steve nash and the suns taking on the rock elts at 8:00 eastern. then, dirk nowitzki and the mavericks against the trail blazers, 10:30 eastern. all of the action you nba fans love on espn. sticking with the sports theme. two adversaries who became friends here in new york last night. >> irvin magic johnson and larry bird. two were attending the premiere of the play "magic bird the it tells the story of their legendary rivalry when they played for the l.a. lakers and boston back in the '80s. up next, "the pulse." princess diana on the verge of starring in a hollywood

blockbuster. new details out. and serious newsman, anderson cooper, just couldn't keep it together. we'll show you why. can't believe i bought a 6" subway breakfast sub

and got this one free. wow! [ tires screech ] buy one 6" sub? [ tires screech ] ...and get another one free? before 9am. all april long. [ male announcer ] subway, eat fresh. i'm good. alright. [ male announcer ] every time you say no to a cigarette, you celebrate a little win. nicorette mini helps relieve cravings in minutes. so you can quit one cigarette at a time. until you reach your goal. nicorette mini. quit one cigarette at a time. [ bottle #2 ] mr. clean magic eraser extra power was 3x faster on permanent marker. and he didn't stop there. aw, he never stops. i-i can't watch. cut to commercial. yeah, this is a commercial.

[ male announcer ] mr. clean magic eraser extra power. i'm here to unleash my inner cowboy. instead i got heartburn. [ horse neighs ] hold up partner. prilosec isn't for fast relief. try alka-seltzer. it kills heartburn fast. yeehaw! baban it kills heartburn fast. cajun raw seafood pizza parlor french fondue tex-mex fro-yo tapas puck chinese takeout taco truck free range chicken pancake stack baked alaska 5% cash back. right now, get 5% cash back at restaurants. it pays to discover. okay. it is time to check "the pulse," beginning with the first lady's return to late-night tv. >> michelle obama talked to stephen colbert last night about her joining forces initiative, which supports troops and their family. but also, she did joke about the current campaign.

>> do you ever lord over the president the fact that you're more popular than he is? do you ever say, hey, watch it. or i might not campaign for you? >> i might try that when i get home. >> the first lady also, jokingly, offered her official endorsement of her husband. >> glad she did that. i wasn't sure where she was leaning for november. >> she cleared it up. anderson cooper was yucking it up late last night, poking fun at anderson cooper. >> he put himself on this ridiculous display the night before. >> come on. >> that's the same guy that dodges bullets in war zones, that he was giggling like a 15-year-old schoolgirl that had just met justin bieber. >> the word that started his giggle-fit -- anderson couldn't

handle. pussy willow. >> i'd have to put you on that list. >> our friend, anderson, also getting the scoop on this story. a blockbuster hollywood business deal involving princess diana. >> kevin costner said that he and diana talked about starring together in "bodyguard 2." and costner received a draft of the script the same day princess diana was killed. pop princess, britney spears, is said to be this close with signing on with simon cowell's "the x factor," as a judge. the rumor was she refused a $10 million deal to do the show. but the new offer is said to hover in the lucrative $15 million range. >> and by this close. this close. for some of you, your local news is next. >> for everyone else, embracing beauty at all ages. k9 advantix ii.

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. it is being call the most significant transit improvement in south bay history. the project that many said would never be a reality. >> snow, rain even a tornado. meteorologist lisa argen tracks the storm. >> urban and small stream flood advisory this morning until 5:45. wind and more rain tomorrow. >> fra updating today's top stories. george zimmerman is behind bars this morning, facing a charge of second-degree murder in the

death of trayvon martin. he is expected to plead not guilty before a judge later today. north korea could launch that controversial rocket this evening when the window opens up again. the u.s., of course, will be tracking that rocket and the political fallout that, of course, will follow. and after days of violence, the syrian city of homs is quiet, as a cease-fire takes hold. looking at today's weather, rain in the west. mostly sunny and warm along the eastern gulf coast. and finally, from us this morning, if 60 is the new 40, the next supermodel could be someone's grandma. >> it is true. there's a growing demand for models over the age of 35. you're not quite there yet. i am. depressingly so. >> i wasn't going to rat you out. >> a huge wave of baby-boomer consumers. abc's cecilia vega has the story. >> reporter: the perfect figure. good looks.

cindy joseph has it all. except, perhaps, the one thing it might seem a model needs to succe succeed, youth. at 61 years old, does it feel at all strange to say, i'm a model? have you ever thought you would have said that 40 years ago? >> no. not in any way, shape or form. >> reporter: but instead of retiring, she has a thriving second career. and that's changing the way boomers see themselves. >> we're not interested in rolling over and just sitting on the porch and rocking ourselves away. >> reporter: big business has taken note. >> save on cashmere hats. >> reporter: it's about buying power. boomer women spend $47 billion a year on fashion. the wilhelmina agency, alone, quadrupled its number of older models over the past few decades. even oprah's on it. with a nationwide model search for her magazine, only open to

women over 30. >> this market is not disappearing. it's not hiding. and if anything, it's going to increase. >> reporter: juliet branker couldn't get hired as a model in her 20s. now at 54, she drives a forklift at lowe's by day. but the side jobs keep coming. >> here i am, an older person. not the same, young body that i had. and they want me now. >> reporter: cindy joseph calls it a revolution. >> it's a matter of realizing that we will be valued for something other than looking like we're 25 years old. >> reporter: a revolution, not just for her career, but for women everywhere. cecilia vega, abc news, new york. >> i think it's great. as a woman, very relatable. >> i like it. you go, girls. that's what's making news in america this morning. >> stay with us for "good america this morning. >> stay with us for "good @bmo closed captioning by closed captioning services,inc