eye on wisconsin. a key endorsement and a vow to fight on as republican presidential candidates look toward tuesday's primary. fatal blow. a tragic ending to a high-speed chase through the streets of philadelphia. and hot ticket. a spectacular nighttime show from one of the world's most active volcanoes. good morning. i'm lynn berry. those stories and more are straight ahead. this is "first look" on msnbc. we are going to begin with battleground wisconsin. republican presidential front-runner mitt romney has

picked up another key endorsement ahead of tomorrow's primary in the badger state. this as rick santorum under intense pressure from some in his own party to drop out is vowing instead to stay in the race. nbc's brian mooar joins us from washington now. he has the details. good morning to you. >> reporter: good morning. santorum insists this nominating fight is far from over. but a lot of republicans disagree. heading into tomorrow's big primary in wisconsin, mitt romney has the polls on his side, and he has some heavyweight endorsements, too. >> i just want to assure every conservative, i've spoken with mitt. >> reporter: senator ron johnson is backing romney and so is house budget committee chairman paul ryan. >> you know what i call that? cheesehead domination. >> reporter: from the very top, republicans are closing ranks behind romney. >> i think he's going to be an excellent candidate, and i think that the chances are overwhelming that he will be our nominee. >> reporter: the stars seem to

be lining up against rick santorum who needs wisconsin's delegates and a midwestern win. but no matter what, he says he's not dropping out. >> a fraction of the establishment is behind him and all the endorsements and all the inevitablity and all the phony math yet here we are. >> reporter: newt gingrich agrees the race isn't over until romney reaches the number of delegates needed. but if romney wins wisconsin, the road to the nomination is getting shorter. and after wisconsin there is a three-week break and then a showdown on santorum's home turf in pennsylvania. lynn? >> brian mooar, thanks so much. a series of rallies were held in florida over the weekend with thousands demanding the arrest of george zimmerman. the man who shot and killed unarmed teen trayvon martin. this morning, there are new questions being raised over potential evidence in the case. nbc's jay gray has more. >> no justice. >> no peace. >> reporter: the calls for justice rang out again sunday.

>> i won't stop for my trayvon and for your trayvon. >> reporter: from the pulpits -- >> what do you want? >> justice. >> to the parks and practice fields, thousands gathered. during a weekend of rallies and protests filled with the same growing refrain. arrest the man who killed trayvon martin. >> nobody has the right to kill anybody. >> reporter: 28-year-old community watch volunteer george zimmerman says he shot and killed the unarmed teenager to save his own life during a fight. screams can be heard in this 911 call from a neighbor during the confrontation. his family and attorney have said it's zimmerman calling out. >> he keeps yelling help. >> yes. >> forensic audio experts using technology stlr to that used by the nsa and cia analyzed the calls for the orlando sentinel. tom owen was one of the men who ran the tests. >> the tests concluded it's not the voice of mr. zimmerman. >> reporter: zimmerman's lawyer

refused to discuss the results. >> i have no comment. when it comes time to litigate this case, we'll be in the court of law. >> if there are charges in the case. >> did george zimmerman act in self-defense? >> reporter: the justice department and fbi are all trying to answer that question. with a grand jury scheduled to convene in less than two weeks. jay gray, nbc news. >> and here is your first look at some of the other news going on around america today. in philadelphia, a deadly end to a police chase after a driver smashed into another car. the crash killed one man, injured two others, including a 4-year-old boy. the pursuit began after the suspect pulled a gun on officers during a traffic stop. after the crash, the driver took off running but was captured a short time later. in michigan, scary moments for firefighters when the roof of a burning building just started to give way. two of the firefighters grabbed their colleague and held on to him as the roof began sinking.

all happened when they were trying to cut holes in the top for ventilation. >> finally, surf's up. we all wish we were here this weekend. high waves possibly up to 15 feet in some spots drew plenty of ocean lovers. while it's great news for surfers it also comes with warnings from life guards about possible rip currents as the high waves continue into today. now for a look at your national weather, we turn to bill karins. he has your weather channel forecast. good morning, bill. >> morning. i want a refund on our northeast weekend. >> yeah, let's take it back. what happened? i liked early march more than end of march. >> i know. >> what happened? >> the midwest is stealing all the warmth. temperatures near 90 in areas in south dakota. ridiculous for the beginning of april. so, you know, we just got done with one of the warmest marches ever and then yesterday everywhere highlighted in the reddish color was in the 80s with the air conditioner on yesterday for the weekend.

the chilly spots this weekend, the northwest, the west coast and definitely the mid-atlantic right up through new england where highs were only in the low 50s. and that was after a rainy saturday on top of it. we'll be thehappy to see the su coming out. wet pavement. the rain moved through last night. this h, the high pressure, the dry, cooler weather will return to new england. when the sun is out it will feel nice. especially outside if you aren't in the shade. down through the middle of the country, the warmth continues. but this is what's going to change. this storm will move into the middle of the country. we're going to start deal with those april thunderstorms. a couple severe outbreaks. not major tornados but definitely a lot of thunderstorms with gusty winds and hail. the rain finally exiting all areas. the only exception down here, cape card, martha's vineyard. near portland, maine, it's actually snowing. still kind of ugly up there, coastal maine. even there it will slowly improve.

corpus christtoi victoria. good line of thunderstorms moving through texas. we'll have to see if that holds up into the greater houston, galveston area. another 15 minutes and those storms should be clearing out. this area in yellow is where we're watching a slight risk of storms. there may be a few tornadoes. it's not going to be a big outbreak. near dallas and ft. worth late tonight, probably close to midnight is when those storms will roll through. not during the daylight hours. mostly late tonight into early tomorrow morning. here's your forecast. you don't need the umbrella. this afternoon will be completely dry and breezy and sunny. 56 in new york today. still chilly in boston. washington, d.c., 62 and sunny for you. look how warm we'll be in the middle of the country. mid-80s. but we'll have some of those afternoon thunderstorms. there were 53 cities, major cities across the united states, that set their all-time warmest march record. >> unbelievable. >> a pretty crazy march.

we'll see what april has in store. >> yes. hopefully it's as great. bill, thank you. how often airlines are on time. new jobs are sprouting up. and owning a piece of "titanic" history. your first look at business headlines is straight ahead. the underdogs say they can win college basketball's national championship. plus, a couple of hockey coaches make the nhl look like wrestlemania. you're watching "first look" on msnbc. [ barking ] i'm your dog,

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welcome back to "first look." i'm lynn berry. 60 countries including the u.s. moved closer yesterday to direct intervention in the fighting in syria. as secretary of state hillary clinton told a conference in turkey that, quote, the time for excuses is over. clinton says the u.s. is sending communications equipment to rebel forces. and arab nations pledged $100 million to pay opposition fighters. in russia today, a passenger

plane carrying 43 people crashed shortly after takeoff in western siberia. at least 16 people were killed and 12 survived the crash. nobel peace prize winner and former political prisoner aung san suu kyi has been elected to the parliment in myanmar. she spent years under house arrest by order of the military government. at least five people were killed in kansas when a crowded motor home hit a guardrail and went off a bridge crashing into a ravine just south of topeka yesterday. 13 other people in the vehicle were taken to hospitals. and mt. etna in sicily is putting on quite a show as hot lava and ash erupt from the volcano for the fifth time this year. so far no damage has been reported. and nearby businesses and airports remain open. here's your first look at how wall street is going to kick off the day. the dow opens at 13,212 after gaining 66 points on friday. the s&p was up five points.

the nasdaq was down 3. taking a look at overseas trading, in tokyo, the nikkei added 26 points. but in hong kong, the hang seng lost 33. wall street starts the second quarter today. and they are hoping to continue strong momentum from the first. the dow posted an 8% gain for the first three months of 2012. that's its best showing in 14 years. crude oil prices are up only slightly today. still at about $103 a barrel in electronic trade. the latest manufacturing data from china is positive with the purchasing managers index jumping to an 11-month high. directv is not carrying programming in local stations of tribune broadcasting in 19 markets across the country. after they failed to reach an agreement on the weekend. an annual report on air travel says last year, airlines slightly improved their treatment of passengers getting them to their destination as scheduled 80% of the time. auto sales in the u.s. are

expected to show strong numbers when march data is released with about 13 million more cars sold compared to march of last year. the march report on unemployment will be released on friday with economists predicting 200,000 jobs were added. still they expect the unemployment rate to remain at 8.3%. jobs are more plentiful for graduating college seniors this year. that's up more than 10% from last year according to a national survey of colleges and employers. and the menu from the last luncheon on the "titanic" was auctioned off in england yesterday. it was saved by an american woman who had put it in her handbag. titanic passengers enjoyed such items as chicken a la maryland. more than a dozen other meat or fish selections and three deszertss. the menu sold for a whopping $122,000. well, this is another year of success for one charter school in chicago. for the third year in a roerks

all the graduates seniors of urban prep are headed to college. the young men at the school are setting high standards and defying the odds. charlie wojciechowski from wmaq in chicago has their story. >> reporter: they are focused on the future. young men of urban prep academy's engelwood campus. for the third straight year, 100% of their graduating seniors have been accepted at a four-year college or university. among them, the class president james mckinley jackson. >> i'm the first generation to graduate. it's really an honor and also i want to continue my family's chapter in history on completing and earning a degree in college. >> reporter: the ceremony is deeply symbolic with the governor looking on. seniors exchanged their red uniform ties for the collegiate stripes in urban prep's red and gold colors. vernon cheeks is going to indiana state university. >> urban prep changed me as a student and as a young man as a whole from just mainly from me becoming an average student and

seeking my full potential. >> reporter: it's a record of success unparalleled in the public school system. >> we are incredibly committed to each and every student when they walk in the door. urban prep is a school of choice. there are students who will choose to come here and students who will choose to leave. i have a saying. we don't throw kids away even those who think they want to be discarded. so we give students chance after chance after chance and do everything we can to keep them here. >> reporter: and for graduates who have gone off to college, the constant focus has worked. >> it's like drilled into you from day one. you are going to college. you are going to a four-year university. it's just something you eat, drink and sleep, college. >> reporter: college. and a chance for a better future for young men who often come from challenging backgrounds. elsewhere in els news, new research may help explain why

black women are 40% more likely to develop cervical cancer and twice as likely to die from it. research finds black women have more trouble clearing hpv, the virus that causes the disease. rather than less access to screening and follow-up care, there might be a biological explanation. and for more information on this and other health stories, check out the health page at msnbc.com. coming up, march madness spills into april as kentucky prepares for kansas. and on the women's side, notre dame will square off with baylor. plus, a potential playoff preview between the flyers and penguins turns ugly, even involving the coaches. your first look at sports is straight ahead. you're watching "first look" on msnbc. ilies... our neighbors... and our communities... america's beverage companies have created a wide range of new choices. developing smaller portion sizes and more low- & no-calorie beverages... adding clear calorie labels so you know exactly what you're choosing...

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we'll be able to produce these oil sands with the same emissions as many other oils and that's a huge breakthrough. that's good for our country's energy security and our economy. welcome back. i'm lynn berry inspect sports, the baylor women's basketball team is just one win away from a perfect season and an ncaa title. here's mario solis. >> good monday to you. it's all about the final four. we'll talk men's title in a bit. this morning, it's ladies first. women's final four in denver. the top seeds made it. brittany griner leading baylor. jordan madden. robert griffin iii loves it. baylor wins, 59-47. they are now 39-0. a national championship would make them the first team in history to reach 40 wins. the other semifinal featuring notre dame and connecticut. irish down two after the miss.

that put-back ties it. in ot, the luck of the irish continues. brittany malorie. notre dame wins, 83-75. irish against baylor tomorrow for the women's national championship. men's title to be decided tonight. kentucky and kansas. two of the most storied programs in college basketball. kentucky the favorite. but the jayhawks feel up to the task. >> i truly believe in my heart we can beat anybody. we may not be favored in a series if we're playing 4 out of 7. in my heart, i believe we can beat anybody. i think these guys feel the same way. >> kentucky and kansas tip off around 9:20 eastern. hockey in pittsburgh. penguins and flyers. potential first round preview. it's clear they don't like each other. danny briere gets leveled. everybody into the ring. all players except the goalies get into the mix. but the action just isn't on the ice. the coaches climb the boards and are shouting back and forth. both coaches ejected.

nearly 70 minutes of penalties handed out. they'll square off again saturday and likely in the first round. i'm guessing the sparks have just begun to fly. and that's your first look at sports. i'm mario solis. here's nbc meteorologist bill karins with your weather channel forecast. >> you mentioned you're going with kentucky tonight over kansas. >> i am but really no good reason for it. it's really just because i -- >> i'm going with kansas. >> just because you put me under pressure. >> i lived in kansas for a while. show a little loyalty. i have to disagree with you anyways. we're still very warm in many areas. the exceptions from new york city northwards. new england is a little chilly. but it's 71 degrees to start your morning in kansas city. this afternoon, it will be very warm. some areas into the mid-80s today. even around st. louis, some areas to the south in southern missouri should be in the mid to upper 80s. texas in the 80s once again. warm weather will come to an end in denver. you may mix in snow with that

rain shower activity. as far as -- it's monday. let's look at the week ahead. new york city. you are finally going to get into a very nice april weather pattern by the middle to end of this week. we head to the southeast. you'll see some stormy weather towards the end of this week. this is a big week for golf. biggest golf tournament of the year. all eyes on tiger woods thursday and friday. looks like some afternoon thunderstorms. thankfully for the final two rounds the weather looks really nice. they should get it in on time. chicago, an okay end to the week. some showers on tuesday. you're not as warm as you were in march but it's still pretty nice by chicago standards. and as far as dallas goes, we should be very warm. texas, lynn, already feeling like summer. >> bill, thanks so much. coming up, who won at the box office? and last night's big country music winners. plus -- when it comes to the worst, a slew of awards adam sandler would prefer not have won. your first look at entertainment is straight ahead. you're watching "first look" on msnbc. [ man ] predicting the future is hard.

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♪ strea-ea-ea-ea-eam ♪ ...stream, stream, stream... ♪ whenever i want you, all i have to do is... ♪ [ female announcer ] introducing xfinity streampix. stream your favorite movies and full seasons of shows instantly on any screen. find out more online. welcome back. time for entertainment news. "the hunger games" made it two in a row at the box office. this time it finished on top with $61 million. i'm still dying to see it. it was sold out when i went on saturday. >> still sold out? >> i know. including overseas, it's taken in $365 million. "rath of the titans" debuted in second. it actually beat "hunger games" overseas earning another $78 million. the snow white opener "mirror, mirror" opened in line with expectations in third with $19 million. bill's ticket helped out with that. elsewhere at the academy of country music awards tairx lor

swift won entertainer of the year. other big winners blake shelton for top male vocalist and his wife miranda lambert. fabulous dress, by the way. top vocal group lady antebellum. ashton cutcher is going to play steve jobs in an independent movie about the late apple co-founder. >> can you see it? >> i can't at all. i thought it was -- >> picture him in like a black turtleneck. >> no. in a first, adam sandler's "jack & jill" swept the razzies on sunday taking every single category including worst category and both worst actor and actress for his dual role as a man and his twin sister. i mean, i -- every movie he has been doing, it seems worse than the last. >> we can't put it all into one. he's got some classics. he's forgiven forever for

whatever he does. i'm lynn berry. this is "first look" on msnbc. "way too early" is up next. a day ahead now of the wisconsin primary, and the republican establishment continues its long coming to terms with the idea of mitt romney as the nominee. this even as rick santorum reveals his big plans for the month of may. the question is, what's the poll number that ought to have the romney campaign worried this morning. a rally in miami yesterday in support of the family of trayvon martin as audio experts tell us who they believe was making the disputed cries for help in the background of those 911 calls. the question is, do we have any better idea this morning of what exactly happened in the very moments before george zimmerman shot trayvon martin. and tonight, a couple of college basketball blue bloods play for the national championship. the question is, can kansas hang with kentucky's nba-ready