THERE ARE SIGNS THAT LAYOFFS ARE DROPPING AND COMPANIES MAY BE STARTING TO HIRE. THE LABOR DEPARTMENT SAYS THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE SEEKING UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS LAST WEEK DIPPED BY 6,000. THAT’S THE 2^ND DECLINE IN 3 WEEKS. THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN UNCHANGED AT 8.9 PERCENT WHEN IT’S RELEASED TOMORROW.

LOW LEVELS OF RADIATION HAVE TURNED UP IN MILK SAMPLES FROM CALIFORNIA AND WASHINGTON. TRACES OF RADIOACTIVE IODINE 131 WERE FOUND IN MILK AS OFFICIALS MONITOR FOR CONTAMINATION FROM THE NUCLEAR CRISIS IN JAPAN. BUT THEY SAY THE LEVELS ARE STILL 5,000 TIMES BELOW LEVELS OF CONCERN.

PROSECUTORS HAVE JUST 3 WITNESSES LEFT TO CALL IN THE BARRY BONDS PERJURY TRIAL, WHICH IS GOING FASTER THAN EXPECTED. BONDS’ ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON AND PERSONAL SHOPPER ARE EXPECTED TO BE CALLED TODAY. THE COURT STAFF WILL ALSO READ A TRANSCRIPT OF BONDS’ 2003 GRAND JURY APPEARANCE INTO THE RECORD.

AND SPACE SHUTTLE COMMANDER MARK KELLY IS STILL AWAITING DOCTORS’ FINAL APPROVAL ON WHETHER HIS WIFE, CONGRESSWOMAN GABRILLE GIFFORDS, CAN ATTEND HIS LAUNCH IN LESS THAN 3 WEEKS. GIFFORDS IS RECUPERATING FROM A GUNSHOT WOUND TO THE HEAD. THE COMMANDER SAYS HE’S STILL WORKING OUT ALL THE PLANS WITH NASA AND IS HOPEFUL SHE CAN MAKE IT TO THE APRIL 19^TH LIFTOFF.

GOVERNOR JERRY BROWN CUT OFF BUDGET NEGOTIATIONS WITH REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS YESTERDAY. THAT PUTS AN END TO BROWN’S PLAN TO ASK CALIFORNIANS TO VOTE ON TAX EXTENSIONS IN A JUNE SPECIAL ELECTION. GOP LEADERS HAD A LIST OF 53 DEMANDS THEY WERE SEEKING IN EXCHANGE FOR THEIR SUPPORT FOR A SPECIAL ELECTION.

MEANWHILE THE GOVERNOR PLANS TO CALL AN OFFICIAL END TO THE DROUGHT TODAY AFTER A SNOWPACK SURVEY TELLS US HOW MUCH WATER IS STORED IN THE MOUNTAINS. THIS WINTER WAS ONE OF THE TOP 10 SNOWIEST ON RECORD AND RESERVOIRS THROUGHOUT THE STATE ARE FILLED TO WELL ABOVE AVERAGE.

JAPAN IS ORDERING AN IMMEDIATE SAFETY UPGRADE AT ITS 55 NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS. IT’S THE FIRST ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT STANDARDS WERE INADEQUATE WHEN AN EARTHQUAKE DAMAGED THE FUKUSHIMA PLANT 3 WEEKS AGO. MORE THAN 100 PEOPLE CHANTED “STOP NUCLEAR POWER” IN A PROTEST TODAY OUTSIDE THE TOKYO HEADQUARTERS OF TOKYO ELECTRIC POWER.

ARIZONA GOVERNOR JAN BREWER HAS SIGNED INTO LAW A CONTROVERSIAL BILL THAT MAKES ARIZONA THE FIRST TO OUTLAW ABORTIONS PERFORMED ON THE BASIS OF THE RACE OR GENDER OF THE FETUS. DOCTORS AND OTHER MEDICAL PROFESSIONALS WOULD FACE FELONY CHARGES IF THEY PERFORM ABORTIONS ON THE BASIS OF GENDER OR RACE. OPPONENTS SAY THAT MAY BE HAPPENING IN CHINA BUT NOT IN ARIZONA.

AND GOOD NEWS ON THE UNEMPLOYMENT FRONT. PRIVATE SECTOR EMPLOYMENT CLIMBED 201,000 IN MARCH ACCORDING TO ADP. THAT’S AHEAD OF THE MORE CLOSELY WATCHED GOVERNMENT RELEASE ON FRIDAY.

THERE ARE REPORTS OF AN EXPLOSION AND FIRE AT THE EVERGREEN OIL REFINERY IN NEWARK. THE FIRE HAS BEEN CONTAINED BUT SMOKE IS STILL RISING FROM THE SCENE. DOZENS OF FIREFIGHTERS ARE ON THE SCENE BUT NO EVACUATION ORDERS HAVE BEEN RELEASED.

HOME PRICES ARE FALLING IN MOST MAJOR CITIES, WITH 4 CITIES HITTING THEIR LOWEST POINT IN 11 YEARS. HOME VALUES IN ATLANTA, LAS VEGAS, DETROIT AND CLEVELAND ARE NOW BELOW JANUARY 2000 LEVELS. THERE WERE PRICE DECLINES IN 19 CITIES FROM DECEMBER TO JANUARY. 11 OF THEM ARE AT THEIR LOWEST LEVEL SINCE THE HOUSING BUST.

PRESSURE IS INCREASING ON JAPAN’S PRIME MINSTER TO WIDEN AN EVACUATION ZONE AROUND THE FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR PLANT AFTER PLUTONIUM WAS FOUND IN THE SOIL. AN EVACUATION WOULD FORCE 13,000 PEOPLE TO MOVE IN ADDITION TO 70,000 WHO HAVE ALREADY MOVED. THE U.S. HAS RECOMMENDED ITS CITIZENS WHO LIVE WITHIN 50 MILES OF THE PLANT LEAVE OR STAY INDOORS.

AND VACAVILLE POLICE STILL AREN’T IDENTIFYING THE ELDERLY MAN WHO WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED BY A BOMB IN HIS SUNDAY PAPER. THE FORCE OF THE BLAST ALMOST TOOK OFF A FINGER AND CAUSED OTHER INJURIES TO HIS ARM AND SIDE. THE VICTIM, WHO IS IN HIS 80’S, IS IN SERIOUS CONDITION AT UC DAVIS. OFFICIALS ARE WORKING TO IDENTIFY THE BOMB-MAKER BUT NO SUSPECTS HAVE BEEN NAMED.

PRESIDENT OBAMA WILL LAY OUT HIS CASE ON LIBYA TO CONGRESS AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TODAY. THE SPEECH IS SET FOR 4:30PM CALIFORNIA TIME. YESTERDAY NATO AMBASSADORS APPROVED A PLAN FOR THE ALLIANCE TO ASSUME ALL AERIAL OPERATIONS FROM THE UNITED STATES. OBAMA HAS PROMISED THAT THE U.S. WILL BE ONLY A PARTNER IN THE MILITARY ACTION AGAINST LIBYA.

UTILITIES IN NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA ARE THE LATEST TO REPORT TRACE AMOUNTS OF RADIATION FROM A NUCLEAR REACTOR IN JAPAN. HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY THERE’S NO PUBLIC HEALTH RISK AND THAT PEOPLE ARE EXPOSED TO MUCH MORE RADIATION ON AN INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE FLIGHT. MASSACHUSETTS AND NEVADA HAVE ALSO REPORTED MINISCULE AMOUNTS OF RADIATION.

THE 32^ND ANNIVERSARY OF THE PARTIAL MELTDOWN AT 3 MILE ISLAND IS BEING MARKED AT THE PLANT WITH PRAYERS FOR JAPAN. PEOPLE GATHERED OUTSIDE THE PLANT NEAR HARRISBURG PENNSYLVANIA TO REMEMBER THE WORST COMMERCIAL NUCLEAR POWER PLANT ACCIDENT IN U.S. HISTORY.

POLICE IN VACAVILLE ARE INVESTIGATING A BOMB THAT WAS CONCEALED INSIDE A NEWSPAPER AND EXPLODED WHEN A MAN PICKED IT UP OFF HIS DRIVEWAY SUNDAY MORNING. THE MAN’S INJURIES WERE DESCRIBED AS NON-FATAL BUT THE BLAST TOUCHED OFF A SECURITY SCARE FOR SEVERAL HOURS. 40 TO 50 NEARBY HOMES WERE EVACUATED BUT MOST RESIDENTS WERE ALLOWED TO RETURN HOME BY 4PM.

AND CONSUMER SPENDING ROSE IN FEBRUARY AT THE FASTEST PACE IN 4 MONTHS, BUT A BIG PART OF THE INCREASE WENT TO COVER HIGHER GAS PRICES. CONSUMER SPENDING JUMPED 0.7 PERCENT LAST MONTH.

RADIATION FEARS ARE INCREASING IN JAPAN AFTER WORKERS SUFFERED BURNS TRYING TO COOL THE EARTHQUAKE DAMAGED NUCLEAR PLANT. MORE THAN 700 ENGINEERS HAVE BEEN WORKING IN SHIFTS AROUND THE CLOCK TO STABILIZE THE PLANT BUT HAD TO PULL BACK AFTER THE WORKERS WERE INJURED. MEANWHILE, CHINA SAYS 2 JAPANESE TRAVELERS ARRIVING IN THE COUNTRY WERE FOUND TO HAVE VERY HIGH LEVELS OF RADIATION.

AT LEAST 1 PERSON HAS BEEN SHOT AT A MIDDLE SCHOOL IN MARTINSVILLE, INDIANA AND A SUSPECT IS IN CUSTODY. REPORTEDLY A VICTIM WAS SHOT TWICE IN THE STOMACH AND POLICE ARE SEARCHING FOR AN ACCOMPLICE TO THE SHOOTER.

A MAN ACCUSED OF PLACING AN EXPLOSIVE OUTSIDE A FEDERAL BUILDING IN DETROIT WILL APPEAR IN COURT TODAY. THE CASE HAS EMBARRASSED THE GOVERNMENT BECAUSE THE EXPLOSIVE SAT INSIDE A BUILDING THAT HOUSES THE FBI, INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE, IMMIGRATION COURT AND OTHER AGENCIES FOR 20 DAYS BEFORE AUTHORITIES DID ANYTHING WITH IT.

JURY SELECTION RESUMES TODAY IN THE CASE AGAINST THE DOCTOR CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH MICHAEL JACKSON’S DEATH. YESTERDAY’S SESSION ENDED WITH 59 PEOPLE SAYING THEY COULD DEVOTE ALMOST 2 MONTHS FOR THE TRIAL. DOCTOR CONRAD MURRAY HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO INVOLUNTARY MANSLAUGHTER.

2 WEEKS AFTER A DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI, STORES ACROSS TOKYO ARE RATIONING MILK, TOILET PAPER, RICE AND WATER. THIS COMES A DAY AFTER OFFICIALS REPORTED THAT RADIOACTIVE IODINE IN TOKYO’S TAP WATER MEASURED MORE THAN TWICE THE LEVEL CONSIDERED SAFE FOR BABIES. MEANWHILE, 2 WORKERS AT THE FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR PLANT SUFFERED BETA RAY BURNS AFTER STEPPING INTO CONTAMINATED WATER.

THE CENSUS BUREAU WILL RELEASE IT’S FIRST SET OF FINDINGS ON RACE AND MIGRATION FROM THE 20-10 COUNT TODAY. THEY’RE EXPECTED TO SHOW THAT HISPANICS ACCOUNTED FOR MORE THAN HALF OF THE U.S POPULATION INCREASE OVER THE LAST DECADE. HISPANICS ARE ON TRACK TO EXCEED 50 MILLION, OR ROUGHLY 1 IN 6 AMERICANS.

FEDERAL AUTHORITIES ARE LOOKING INTO AN INCIDENT AT REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT TUESDAY NIGHT. 2 PASSENGER JETS LANDED WITHOUT CONTROLLER ASSISTANCE WHEN THEY COULDN’T REACH ANYONE IN THE AIRPORT TOWER. AN AVIATION OFFICIAL SAYS AN AIR TRAFFIC SUPERVISOR FELL ASLEEP ON THE JOB. THE PILOTS CONTACTED CONTROLLERS AT AN FAA FACILITY ABOUT 40 MILES AWAY.

POLICE EVACUATED PART OF MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TODAY TO CHECK OUT A REPORT OF A SUSPICIOUS PACKAGE, JUST HOURS AFTER FIREFIGHTERS EXTINGUISHED A FUEL TANK FIRE. FIREFIGHTERS ARE STILL INVESTIGATING THE BLAZE THAT BROKE OUT LAST NIGHT AT A FUEL TANK FARM. AT LEAST 3 DOZEN FLIGHTS WERE DELAYED OR CANCELED.

ELIZABETH TAYLOR HAS DIED AT CEDARS-SINAI HOSPITAL IN LOS ANGELES AT THE AGE OF 79. TAYLOR WAS SURROUNDED BY HER 4 CHILDREN. SHE WAS HOSPITILIZED 6 WEEKS AGO WITH CONGESTIVE HEART FAILURE. TAYLOR WAS A TWO TIME OSCAR WINNER BUT EQUALLY AS FAMOUS FOR HER BEAUTY, JET-SET LIFESTYLE, CHARITABLE CAUSES AND HER 8 MARRIAGES.

TOKYO IS WARNING THAT RADIOACTIVE IODINE OVER TWICE THE SAFE LEVEL FOR INFANTS HAS BEEN DETECTED IN ITS TAP WATER. AND THE U.S. IS BARRING IMPORTS OF DAIRY AND OTHER PRODUCE FROM AREAS NEAR THE CRIPPLED FUKUSHIMA POWER STATION. THE ECONOMIC IMPACT OF THE EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI COULD HIT 309 BILLION DOLLARS, NEARLY 4 TIMES MORE THAN HURRICANE KATRINA.

A BOMB HAS EXPLODED AT A CROWDED BUS STOP IN CENTRAL JERUSELUM. AT LEAST 25 ARE WOUNDED IN WHAT APPEARS TO BE THE FIRST MILITANT ATTACK IN THE CITY IN SEVERAL YEARS. THE BLAST COULD BE HEARD THROUGHOUT JERUSALEM AND BLEW OUT THE WINDOWS OF 2 CROWDED BUSES.

FRESH DEL MONTE PRODUCE SAYS IT’S RECALLING ALMOST 5,000 CARTONS OF CANTALOUPES WHICH MAY BE CONTAMINATED WITH A FORM OF SALMONELLA. THE CANTALOUPES WERE DISTRIBUTED THROUGH WAREHOUSE CLUBS IN CALIFORNIA AND 6 OTHER WESTERN STATES. SO FAR THERE’S BEEN A LINK BETWEEN THE CANTALOUPES AND 12 CASES OF SALMONELLA.

THERE IS SOME PROGRESS AT THAT JAPANESE NUCLEAR POWER PLANT. WORKERS HAVE RECONNECTED POWER LINES TO ALL 6 REACTORS WHICH IS A SIGNIFICANT STEP IN BRINGING THE OVERHEATED COMPLEX UNDER CONTROL. EMERGENCY WORKERS HAVE ALSO DUMPED 18 TONS OF SEAWATER INTO A BOILING STORAGE POOL HOLDING SPENT NUCLEAR FUEL.

MEANWHILE JAPAN’S POLICE AGENCY SAYS MORE THAN 9,000 PEOPLE ARE DEAD AFTER THE DEVASTATING EARTHQUAKE AND TSUNAMI. BUT WITH 13,500 MISSING, OFFICIALS ESTIMATE THAT THE FINAL FIGURE WILL LIKELY EXCEED 18,000 DEATHS.

FORCES LOYAL TO MUAMMAR GADHAFI HAVE ATTACKED 2 LIBYAN TOWNS AFTER ANOTHER NIGHT OF AIR RAIDS ON TRIPOLI. PRESIDENT OBAMA SAYS THE U.S. WILL CONCEDE CONTROL OF THE AIR ASSAULT IN DAYS. A U.S. AIR FORCE JET CRASHED IN LIBYA OVERNIGHT BECAUSE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE. BOTH CREWMEN ARE SAFE.

A JURY HAS BEEN SEATED IN THE BARRY BONDS PERJURY CASE. THE JURY IS MADE UP OF 8 WOMEN AND 4 MEN. THE TRIAL CONTINUES TODAY WITH BONDS’ FORMER TRAINER GREG ANDERSON APPEARING BEFORE THE JUDGE, WHERE HE’S EXPECTED TO TELL HER ONCE AGAIN THAT HE REFUSES TO TESTIFY AGAINST BONDS. THE TRIAL SHOULD LAST 4 TO 5 WEEKS.

SMOKE COMING FROM THE FUKUSHIMA NUCLEAR POWER PLANT IN JAPAN IS DISRUPTING EFFORTS TO REPAIR THE COOLING SYSTEMS. WORKERS WERE FORCED TO EVACUATE. MEANWHILE TOKYO HAS ORDERED THE SUSPENSION OF SHIPMENTS OF MILK AND CERTAIN VEGETABLES INCLUDING SPINACH AFTER ABNORMAL RADIATION LEVELS WERE FOUND.

COALITION JETS ARE PATROLLING THE NO-FLY ZONE OVER LIBYA TODAY BUT HAVEN’T LAUNCHED ANY NEW STRIKES after a WEEKEND OF AIR STRIKES. MEANWHILE REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS SAY THEY WANT THE OMAMA ADMINISTRATION TO ANSWER QUESTIONS ABOUT WHAT THE U.S. MISSION IS IN LIBYA AND HOW LONG THE U.S. WILL BE INVOLVED.

4 NEW YORK TIMES JOURNALISTS HAVE BEEN RELEASED BY LIBYA. A SPOKESMAN FOR THE TURKISH EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON SAYS THE JOURNALISTS WERE HANDED OVER TO THE TURKISH AMBASSADOR IN TRIPOLI AND ARE EXPECTED TO CROSS INTO TUNISIA TODAY. THE 4 WERE CAPTURED LAST WEEK BY FORCES LOYAL TO MOAMMAR GADHAFI.

AT&T PLANS TO BUY T-MOBILE FOR 39 BILLION DOLLARS. THE DEAL COULD RUN INTO TROUBLE WITH ANTITRUST OFFICIALS WHO FEAR THAT FEWER WIRELESS CARRIERS COULD DRIVE UP PRICES FOR CONSUMERS.

AND A BOSTON HOSPITAL HAS PERFORMED THE COUNTRY’S FIRST FULL FACE TRANSPLANT. A TEAM OF MORE THAN 30 DOCTORS AND NURSES AT BRIGHAM AND WOMEN’S HOSPITAL WORKED FOR MORE THAN 15 HOURS TO COMPLETE THE OPERATION. THE ENTIRE FACIAL AREA OF A 25 YEAR OLD WAS REPLACED INCLUDING THE NOSE, LIPS, SKIN AND MUSCLES.

WORKERS AT A NUCLEAR POWER PLANT IN JAPAN BRIEFLY ABANDONED THE PLANT BECAUSE OF SURGING RADIATION LEVELS, WHICH ALSO PREVENTED A HELICOPTER FROM FLYING TO THE SITE TO DROP WATER INTO A REACTOR. SCORES OF FLIGHTS TO JAPAN HAVE BEEN HALTED OR REROUTED AND AIR TRAVELERS ARE AVOIDING TOKYO OVER FEARS OF RADIATION.

MEANWHILE FEARS ABOUT A NUCLEAR CLOUD FROM JAPAN HITTING THE WEST COAST HAVE SOME PEOPLE RUSHING OUT TO BUY IODIDE TABLETS, EVEN THOUGH OFFICIALS SAY THE PILLS AREN’T NECESSARY. ADDING TO THE CONFUSION IS A STATEMENT FROM U.S. SURGEON GENERAL REGINA BENJAMIN, WHO SAID SHE DIDN’T THINK STOCKING UP ON THE PILLS WOULD BE AN OVERREACTION.

4 NEW IMMIGRATION LAWS ARE IN EFFECT IN UTAH. GOVERNOR GARY HERBERT SIGNED THE BILLS YESTERDAY, PUTTING THE STATE IN POSITION TO CHALLENGE THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ON ITS SOVEREIGNTY BY ISSUING GUEST WORKER VISAS. THAT LAW DOESN’T GO INTO AFFECT FOR ANOTHER 2 YEARS.

AND THE STEREOTYPICAL PACK-A-DAY SMOKER APPEARS TO BE DISAPPEARING. A NEW STUDY SHOWS THE NUMBER OF HEAVY SMOKERS HAS DROPPED SHARPLY IN THE U.S. IN THE PAST SEVERAL DECADES. THE NUMBER OF ADULTS WHO SMOKE A PACK A DAY OR MORE HAS DROPPED 16 PERCENT SINCE 1965. ONLY ABOUT 7 PERCENT OF ADULTS ARE CONSIDERED HEAVY SMOKERS TODAY.