10 things you need to know today: March 29, 2015

Jon Terbush

Gregory Shamus / Getty Images

1.

Arab leaders agree in principle to form joint military force

Arab leaders on Sunday announced a tentative agreement to create a joint military force to combat violence and extremism in the region. "We recognize the clear challenges in the Arab world and the need to take measures to combat them," Nabil al Araby, chairman of the Arab League, said on the final day of the group's summit in Egypt. The announcement came days after a Saudi-led coalition began launching airstrikes in Yemen against the Houthi rebels who have overrun the country and forced President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi to flee.  [The Guardian, USA Today]

2. Kentucky, Wisconsin advance to Final Four

The Kentucky Wildcats are headed to the Final Four after holding off Notre Dame's upset bid on Saturday, and they now sit just two games away from a perfect season. The undefeated Wildcats did not miss a shot from the field in the final 12 minutes of the game, and then watched as a potential game-winning desperation three sailed over the rim. Also Saturday, the Wisconsin Badgers punched their ticket to the Final Four with a convincing win over Arizona. On Sunday, Michigan State and Louisville will meet and Duke will take on Gonzaga to determine the final two teams in the national semifinal round. [Yahoo Sports]

3. Germanwings pilot may have had vision problem

Andreas Lubitz, the pilot believed to have deliberately crashed a Germanwings airliner last week, sought treatment for a vision problem that could have been psychosomatic and impacted his ability to fly, according to investigators. In addition, investigators on Saturday revealed they found antidepressants while searching Lubitz's home earlier in the week, though it was not clear whether the medication factored into the crash. Also this weekend, a woman who identified herself as an ex-girlfriend of Lubitz told a German newspaper that the 27-year-old co-pilot once vowed to do something so dramatic that "everyone will know my name and remember." [The New York Times, AFP]

4. Indiana will 'clarify' anti-gay law, governor says

Indiana Gov. Mike Pence (R) said Saturday his state would move to "clarify" the intent of a controversial so-called religious freedom law that critics contend will allow businesses to discriminate against gays. "I support religious liberty, and I support this law," Pence told the Indianapolis Star. "But we are in discussions with legislative leaders this weekend to see if there's a way to clarify the intent of the law." The law, which will go into effect in July, bars the state from enacting legislation that could "substantially burden" the ability of people and businesses to practice their religious beliefs. [Indianapolis Star]

5. Nigerian election extended one day due to violence, technical glitches

Voting continued on Sunday in Nigeria's presidential election after faulty equipment and terror attacks forced polls in some areas of the country to remain open for an extra day. In use for the first time, digital voter verification scanners in some places failed to work, even forcing President Goodluck Jonathan to spend more than 20 minutes casting a ballot. Boko Haram militants also disrupted the vote, killing an estimated 41 people in multiple attacks. [The Wall Street Journal]

6. Israeli PM blasts framework of Iranian nuclear deal

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday assailed the emerging details of a nuclear agreement intended to curb Iran's nuclear program. "This deal, as it appears to be emerging, bears out all of our fears, and even more than that," he said, according to a Reuters translation. The U.S. and Iran have three days left before the deadline to reach a framework deal. [Reuters]

7. Yemeni President says Shiite rebels are 'puppets of Iran'

Yemeni President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi on Saturday blamed Iran for his country's current chaos, calling the Shiite rebels "puppets of Iran." Hadi fled the country and made his way to Saudi Arabia earlier this week after the rebels, known as Houthis, pushed farther toward the southern Yemen city of Aden, where he had been staying. "You have destroyed Yemen with your political adolescence and by manufacturing domestic and regional crises," Hadi said, speaking directly to the rebels and their backers. [The Associated Press]

8. Researchers find Ebola virus not undergoing rapid mutations

Virologists from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases say the Ebola outbreak has not given rise to an even more virulent form of the virus despite "extensive and prolonged human-to-human transmission," according to new research published Thursday in the journal Science. Earlier research suggested the virus was mutating at nearly double the rate as in past outbreaks. "Whereas from a public health perspective, the current Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa continues to be an extremely pressing emergency, it is doubtful that either virulence or transmissibility has increased," the researchers said. [NPR]

9. Leading suspect in Tunisian terror attack killed

A prime suspect in the attack on Tunisia's Bardo Museum has been killed in an overnight anti-terror raid, Tunisian Prime Minister Habib Essid said Sunday. The news came as tens of thousands of Tunisians took to the streets Sunday for an anti-terrorism rally. The March 18 museum attack left 23 dead.  [NBC, Reuters]

10. Leonard Nimoy's son to direct Spock documentary

Saying he wanted to create "a tribute to my dad and Spock," Adam Nimoy told Variety on Friday that he plans to produce and direct a documentary about the iconic Star Trek character played by his father, Leonard Nimoy. The elder Nimoy died in February at the age of 83 of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Zachary Quinto, who has played Spock in two recent film takes on the franchise, will narrate, and William Shatner, who played James T. Kirk in the original series, plans to appear in the documentary.

[Variety]