caught in it, they are taking this time and doing this to honor and thank the people who had traveled there to try to get their story told. it's very powerful stuff. the people who traveled there to get their story told. "first look" is up next. southwest slug fest. the gop presidential frontrunners clash in arizona, just days before a pair of crucial primaries. river of ruin. warm weather and heavy rain devastate homes in washington state. and crash course. two cars collide during a live television news report. good morning, everyone. i'm lynn berry. those stories and more are straight ahead. this is "first look" on msnbc. we're going to begin with a

bitter debate. in their last face-to-face confrontation before next tuesday's primaries in arizona and michigan, the republican presidential candidates argued about bailouts, budgets and health care. nbc's tracie potts joins us from washington with the details. good morning. >> reporter: lynn, with 59 delegates at stake and michigan polls virtually tied, the top two candidates went back and fourth all night. >> had them voted on the committee. >> reporter: mitt romney and rick santorum overtalking each other at times, with the fiercest exchanges over health care, earmarks and taxes. >> governor romney raised $700 million in taxes and fees in massachusetts. i never voted to raise taxes. >> you voted to raise the debt ceiling five times without compensating cuts in spending. >> reporter: santorum admitted he voted for things he didn't support like no child left behind and family planning. >> politics is a team sport, folks, and sometimes you got to rally together and do something.

>> while i was fighting to save the olympics you were fighting to save the bridge to nowhere. >> reporter: santorum accused romney of backing big banks, but abandoning auto workers. >> he supported the folks on wall street and bailed out wall street, was all for it, and then when it came to the auto workers and folks in detroit, he said no. >> i don't want to save any wall street bank. i just don't want to make sure we lose all of our banks. >> reporter: who's the most conservative? not santorum, ron paul said. >> he's a fake. >> reporter: newt gingrich struggled to get a word in. here's what he said about immigration. >> it is utterly stupid to say that the united states can't control the border. >> reporter: the candidates trying to draw clear differences as we get closer to critical votes. turns out this could be the last debate ron paul and rick santorum have said they won't participate in a debate that had been scheduled in atlanta. lynn? >> all right. tracie potts in washington, thanks. syrian military forces have stepped up their attacks on rebel bases.

more than 70 people were killed in syria wenls. wednesday. in homs, shelling attacks killed two journalists, including american marie colvin. "the telegraph" reports intercepted communication between syrian army officers revealed they had pledged to, quote, kill any journalists who set foot on syrian soil. as the fighting continues, the united nations is sending a top humanitarian official to syria and is expected to call for aid groups to be given access to opposition forces. a third straight day of large protests in afghanistan today over the burning of copes of the koran by u.s. soldiers. fighting between violent protesters and afghan troops on wednesday left at least seven people dead and dozens wounded. afghan police struggled to disperse hundreds of protesters trying to break into an american military base. the afghan taliban urged afghanistans to target foreign

military bases, invader forces and their convoys. and the u.s. has apologized for burning the korans which they said was a mistake. here is your first look at some other news going on around america today. near seattle, some dramatic video shows an entire house just giving way to a river, falling victim to flooding in the area due to heavy rain and melting snow there. in the end, only the garage was left standing. seven local rivers were under flood warning last night. to the north one home destroyed and another damaged by a mudslide. forecasters hope a cold front will stop the snow melt. robbers stormed into a mcdonald's in arizona then ordered a manager at gunpoint to open the safe. the video shows one of the thieves hitting the woman before taking the cash. the manager was not seriously hurt. police are looking into whether this case is connected to a string of robberies in the area.

it was a watery mess for commuters in los angeles last night, after a car crash sent one vehicle right into a fire hydrant, causing a huge gusher there. it happened right in the middle of evening rush hour. finally, a scare during a live tv news report in florida as two cars collided right behind the reporter. who was doing her live shot. a taxicab was broadsided while the reporter from nbc affiliate wfla in tampa was reporting on gas prices. fortunately there were no serious injuries there. the reporter kept her game face on there trying finish the report. that's tough. for a look at your national weather we turn to nbc meteorologist bill karins has your weather forecast. >> you keep professional with me here which is the equivalent. >> we use that term loosely, in quotation. >> professional. >> not always but we try to keep it. >> did you enjoy yesterday's april warmth? >> yes. stay tuned. bring it on. >> it's going to continue in

some areas but in other spots it will not. a little winter surprise for some people in the northern plains and the great lakes later on tonight. first thing's first. yesterday, what a day. i mean look at the temperatures on this map. we were in the upper 70s to low 80s through texas, florida was great, mardi gras in new orleans, the end of the festivities as we continue this week at 80 degrees yesterday. notice the colder air. there's a little bit of chilly air still in the northern plains and that's the key to the upcoming forecast. we haven't had a lot of snow in many cities. chicago has been one of them. only 16 inches of snow so far this winter. typically chicago gets almost 40 inches. we're well behind schedule. the last two winters over 50 inches. we're finally going to get another snowstorm in chicago. right now it's a small little snowstorm. not going to be widespread. little narrow band of snow is going to move through the southern plains into the great lakes later on tonight. right now, we're watching that snow and the storm beginning to form here in south dakota. the first city that's going to

change over to all snow will be sioux falls later this afternoon and near ames and north of des moines, that's where we'll see heavy snow during the evening rush hour. won't be until later on tonight in chicago that we'll change over and you'll get your band of snow. i mentioned it's narrow, a tough forecast when it's this narrow. milwaukee could get nothing and chicago could end up with six inches of snow while indianapolis gets nothing too. if you're in the narrow band of moderate heavy snow you probably have enough to do shoveling out there that's going to include areas like detroit too. here's my snowfall forecast for the bigger cities. most areas rain changing to the heavy wet snow during the day today if not tonight. four to eight inches possible, chicago, detroit, sioux falls, grand rapids, michigan, des moines a little less and milwaukee and cleveland on the edge, but looks like mostly a miss for you. the forecast we talk about the temperature of 83 today in dallas and at the same time we got a snow forecast in the northern plains. >> it's been very confusing, bill. >> it is. >> thank you. coming up, pc sales lag,

on-line privacy makes progress, and the intellectual property fight truly lin-sane. it will never get old. >> love it. >> your first look at this morning's business headlines is straight ahead. >> coming up, jeremy lin and carmelo anthony hit their stride, lakers knock out the champs and a buzzer beater in minnesota. you're watching "first look" on msnbc. ok, guys-- what's next ? chocolate lemonade ? susie's lemonade... the movie. or... we make it pink !

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welcome back to "first look." i'm lynn berry. here's some of the top stories making news this morning. a rapid series of deadly attacks across iraq this morning is being called a huge security failure. at least 50 people were killed and more than 200 injured in coordinated bombings and shootings. the worst of the blasts occurred in baghdad during the busy rush hour. after criticism, virginia's governor bob mcdonald reversed course on wednesday on a bill mandating invasive ultrasounds

for women prior to abortion. the republican says he opposes requiring a wand to be placed inside the patient. the newly amended bill would still require an external ultrasound. a former university of virginia lacrosse player has been convicted of second-degree murder in the killing of his ex-girlfriend. the jury recommended 26 years in prison for george huguely after he attacked yeardley love in a drunken rage. his sentencing scheduled for april. a dramatic video from argentina shows a packed commuter train slam nothing a station after it was unable to stop. 49 people were killed. 600 injured. as train cars crushed into one another. an fda panel is recommending approval of the first new prescription weight loss drug in more than a decade. it had impressive results with most patients losing 10% of their overall weight over a year. the fda had rejected it in the past over safety concerns.

the drugmaker will have to conduct more tests and even if given final approval it may take three years for the drug to appear on the market. finally scientists in russia claim they brought back to life a flowering plant that's 3,000 years old and extinct. the bbc reporting they grew the plant from fruit found in permanently frozen soil along the banks of the siberian river. during last night's debate the republican candidates responded to questions about health coverage of contraception for women who work for church run organizations. last night on "the rachel mad do show" nancy pelosi spoke about the issue and said up until now conservatives haven't been clear about where they stand on contraception. >> the idea is that they would be talking about contraception in this sway, is a breakthrough for those of us -- i've been in congress now, this will be my 25th year, and for 25 years they have i've been saying to people

this isn't about abortion. they like to say it is. it's about contraception and contraception is something that is universally practiced, the size and timing of families is a family's important decision to make together with their doctor, with their god, it's not about some five men sitting around the table in washington, d.c. but what is interesting about this is at last the country knows that all this talk about reproductive freedom, really extends to something as personal as family planning and birth control. and depriving women of access to contraception. >> don't miss rachel maddow's unique take on all the day's stories week nights at 9:00 eastern here on msnbc. the place for politics. >> here's your first look at how wall street will kick off. the dow opens at 12,938 after losing 27 points yesterday.

the s&p down 4 points, the nasdaq lost 15. overseas trading, the nikkei added 41 but in hong kong the nikkei fell 16. a day after the dow flirted with 13,000, caution kicked in for the first time in four days. banks led stocks lower on wednesday as lingering worries about europe's economy and the details of greece's debt deal kept investors on the sidelines. after the markets closed shares of hewlett-packard fell after reporting revenue below expectations as newly installed ceo meg whitman struggles to turn the pc maker around. dell was a drag on the s&p after its lower than expected revenue forecast. overseas, shares of mazda slid nearly 7% after announcing its plans to sell $2 billion worth of new shares and drive half of its production base overseas. luxury home builder toll brothers tumbled 5% after reporting a quarterly loss. the sector as a whole suffered

from data showing u.s. home resale surged but not enough. on the upside, garmin jumped 9%. thanks to higher sales of gps systems last quarter. the number of internet giants including google have agreed to support installing a do not track but. in most web browsers this year. this move is part of a white house push for congress to pass a privacy bill of rights. a dell bankruptcy judge approved $370,000 in bonuses for 20 employees of the now defunct solar panel manufacturer solyndra which received half a billion dollars in federal loans before going under. finally, jeremy lin may be the new york knicks' red hot scoring sensation, but trademarking his catch phrase lin-sanity is no slam dunk. lin filed for the phrase last week, but he's apparently fourth in line for a copyright behind several others, including a former coach.

we all knew it was coming, didn't we? >> coming up the lakers edge the mavericks, the thunder fight off a late celtic rally and two games decided in the final seconds, plus speaking of jeremy lin, he and the knicks do it once again. your first look at sports is straight ahead. you're watching "first look" on msnbc. ♪ our machines help identify early stages of cancer and it's something that we're extremely proud of. you see someone who is saved because of this technology, you know that the things that you do in your life, matter.

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at usaa we provide retirement planning for our military, veterans and their families. now more than ever, it's important to get financial advice from people who share your military values. for our free usaa retirement guide, call 877-242-usaa. dave, i've downloaded a virus. yeah. ♪ dave, where are we on the new laptop? it's so slow! i'm calling dave. [ telephone rings ] [ sighs ] i need a new i.t. guy. [ male announcer ] in a small business, technology is all you. staples easy tech experts are here to help. you must be... ...dave. [ male announcer ] with everything from new computers, to set-ups, to tune-ups. stapes. that was easy. welcome back to "first look." i'm lynn berry. in sports what looked more like an extra practice session brought the knicks record back to even. here's nbc's fred roggin.

good morning. after an embarrassing loss to the nets, the knicks jeremy lin and carmelo anthony clicking on all cylinders. last night. taking on the hawks at mgs, some of the new guys developing chemistry. baron davis to j.r. smith, reverse alley-oop. the knicks came out flying in the opening quarter. carmelo looked pretty good in his second game back from injury. took the feed from lin and threw it down. anthony had 15. lin assist shy of a double double finished with 17 points. knicks won big, 99-82, they'll play the heat tonight. the last time the lakers in dallas swept out of the playoffs. last night a different story. laker big men stepped up down the stretch. kobe bryant, the lob gas sol. l.a. up by five. moments later he found bynum and they beat the naves 96-91. youth met experience in oklahoma city. the young thunder ran over the aging celts. it seemed like every time boston turned it over, the thunder were sprinting the other way. kevin durant to russell

westbrook combined for 59 points and thunder rolled and have won 11 straight at home. warriors and suns down to the final seconds. tied at 104. ellis spun and hit the fade-away with one second left. he had a game high 26, none bigger than that. golden state won in dramatic fashion 106-104. great finish in minnesota between the jazz and timberwolves. under 10 seconds to play. al jefferson pulled up and tied the game at 98. plenty of time for the timberwolves, ridnour got it to fall at the buzzer. minnesota crying tears of joy. timberwolves rally from 16 down to win a thriller 100-98. >> that is your first look at sports, i'm fred roggin. >> now for another look at the weather here is bill karins, who is so excited to be standing in front of a screen that has snow. weird for you. >> like i'm rusty. >> shake it up. >> i know. i'm like a little nervous making a snow forecast. this time of winter another

snowstorm coming, but this is one of the bigger ones we're going to get in a few of these citys. my predicted totals. most will happen tonight into tomorrow morning. we're talking areas like chicago, detroit, major big cities, four to eight inches of snow which typically is not a big deal this time of year, but because we haven't had a lot of snow in the cities this could be one of the bigger snows of the season. sioux falls, grand rapids significant snow, a little less in des moines and ames. milwaukee and cleveland on the edge of this storm system, maybe nothing, maybe an inch or two, nothing too significant by your standards. as far as the east goes, light rain overnight going through areas of central new england. that rain off the mid-atlantic coast passing through. cold front will go through today, cloudy this morning with showers here and there in the east coast but we'll get the sun out and windy conditions this afternoon. still very mild. temperatures in the 50s and the 60s in the southern half of the country. sunscreen. i mean, 83 today in dallas. >> and bikinis. bill, thanks so much. coming up lindsay lohan's week keeps getting better.

plus, which hollywood heart throb has most wives willing to trade in their men? your first look at entertainment news is straight ahead. something tells me it's not bill. you're watching "first look" on msnbc. sso they fit! okay-y... okay??? i've been eating progresso and now my favorite old jeans...fit. okay is there a woman i can talk to? [ male announcer ] progresso. 40 soups 100 calories or less. one golden crown. come on frank how long have we known each other? go to e-trade. they got killer tools man. they'll help you nail a retirement plan that's fierce. two golden crowns. you realize the odds of winning are the same as being mauled by a polar bear and a regular bear in the same day? frank! oh wow, you didn't win? i wanna show you something... it's my shocked face. [ gasps ] ♪ [ male announcer ] get a retirement plan that works at e-trade.

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that's good morning, veggie style. hmmm. for half the calories plus veggie nutrition. could've had a v8.

today's ash wednesday and all over the country, people are giving things up for lent. in my opinion, rick santorum should give up chocolate. while newt gingrich should give up -- that's it. should just give up. i think he should give up. he tunts have a chance. this is cool. beyonce and jay-z spotted at the knicks game this week.

they found a last-minute babysitter. the guy that used to play point guard before jeremy lin. he's doing it. listen to this, a lunch menu from the titanic is expected to sell for $150,000 at an auction next month. the menu start out great but once you get to the iceberg wedge it's a total disaster. too soon? >> too soon. tonight jimmy welcomes actor paul rudd, actress gabriel union and performance from the broadway act "sister act." 11:35 on your local nbc station. time for a first look at entertainment news. is it official? >> bring it on. >> has lindsay lohan turned a corner? got high marks from a judge yesterday at a hearing in los angeles. the judge told her she's, quote, in the home stretch for her probation for the 2007 drunken driving case. her hair still looks terrible. her probation officer said to be

pleased with her progress. >> official, her poster going back on my wall. "the national enquirer" is drawing fire from whitney houston's family and fans for publishing a chilling photo of the singer's body in an open casket in the funeral home where the invitation only viewing was held. kind of disturbing. ben affleck has finally jumped on the social media bandwagon, someone that is not -- >> i'm ahead of him, nice. >> he jumped on a facebook page to show off his acting career and charity work. >> he had more friends in two minutes. >> probably true. for the third year in a row twilight hunk rob pattinson has been voted man you trade your husband for in an ivillage survey. apparently the voters were like 16. he had an overwhelming 64%. >> trade their husbands. >> ryan gosling runner up a distant 13% of the vote. what happens that ryan is getting second place for

everything? >> i don't know. seems to manage to get into every one of our stories. >> we have to go. i'm lynn berry. this is if the first look" on msnbc. stay tuned, "way too early" is next. a rough night for rick santorum after new bffs mitt romney and ron paul tagteam the former senator during last night's 20th republican bedebate. the question, will the damage be enough to ensure a romney win in the upcoming michigan and arizona primaries. we'll break it down with john heilemann in a moment. the violence in syria continues at a horrific pace as government forces bombard the city of homs is discriminately killing scores of people including two western journalists. the question is, if the situation there doesn't meet our standards for military assistance, what does? finally, i'm contractually obligated to mention sports and i don't get what the big deal is with this jeremy lin guy. he's from harvard and can throw a ball i