Apple begins taking pre-orders for new iPad: The device will be delivered April 3. | San Jose Mercury News

Obama delays overseas trip by three days to work on health care: He is now scheduled to leave for Indonesia on March 21. | Washington Post

Senators present bipartisan immigration plan to White House: Elements include tougher border security, a program to admit temporary immigrant workers and a biometric Social Security card to combat fraud. | Los Angeles Times

Settlement could pay World Trade Center responders up to $657 million: More than 10,000 ground zero rescue and recovery workers have claimed they were sickened by dust. | Associated Press

Police chief and city administrator of Louisiana, Mo., hired as new East St. Louis chief: Robert Jenne, 60, was police chief in Berkeley from 2001 to 2007. | Belleville News-Democrat

Illinois Democrats will choose lt. gov. candidate March 27: More than 220 people have submitted applications for the job in an online open casting call to replace Scott Lee Cohen, who resigned after winning the primary. | Chicago Tribune

Robin Carnahan calls for ban on earmarks: The Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate becomes the latest in a string of high-profile candidates from both parties who are swearing off the pork barreling practice. | Politico

Anheuser-Busch claims trademark infringement by a Maryland man who created baby beer bottles that look like Budweiser to sell as gag gifts:   The brewer filed suit in federal court against Greg Jones and his Baby Beer Bottles Inc. | St. Louis Business Journal

Internet agency delays decision on special domain for porn sites: The proposal to create the ".xxx" domain, first made in 2000, has been rejected three times so far. | Associated Press

Twin suicide bombings kill dozens in Pakistan: The blasts targeting an army convoy ripped through a densely populated neighborhood bazaar in the eastern city of Lahore. | Washington Post

Major aftershocks rock Chile as new president is inaugurated: Sebastian Pinera will take charge of a nation still reeling from the quake that struck ealrier this month. | New York Times

Austerity plan leads to widespread strikes in Greece: Savage street clashes erupted between rioting youths and police in central Athens as more than 30,000 people demonstrated during a nationwide strike against the cash-strapped government's austerity measures. | Associated Press

Defense Secretary Gates cites communication failures before Fort Hood shootings: Officers may face discipline after not sharing key information regarding Maj. Nidal Hasan, military psychiatrist accused of killing 13 at Army base.| New York Times

White House, congressional Democrats reach deal with unions over health care coverage: Agreement exempts union contracts from tax on high-end health-insurance plans until 2018, adds pressure to find new money to pay for health bill. | Wall Street Journal

New Jersey Cub Scout endures TSA scrutiny: Agency won't comment on case of Michael "Mickey" Hicks being on government watch-list of suspicious persons. | Sky News Online

U.S. Supreme Court blocks Internet broadcast of federal court challenge of California's gay-marriage ban: U.S. District Court considers  whether 2008 voter initiative -- Proposition 8 -- violates U.S. Constitution by establishing law that discriminates based on sexual orientation.| Wall Street Journal

Retail sales post unexpected gain in February: The 0.3 percent increase, the biggest since November, was held back by a drop in auto sales. | Associated Press

Household net worth rises for third straight quarter: A large chunk of the 5.4 percent increase for all of 2009 came from a drop in household debt. | Wall Street Journal

Trade deficit shrinks as auto and oil imports drop: American exports also fell, a potential blow to hopes that the economic recovery will be aided this year by U.S. sales abroad. | Associated Press

Foreclosure rates rise by smallest amount in four years: But fears remain about the hundreds of thousands of homeowners who are still being evaluated for help under loan modification programs. | Associated Press

Illinois lawmakers vote to restrict scholarship abuses: The legislative perks sometimes went to to relatives, cronies and political donors. | Chicago Tribune

Lindbergh schools lay off 20 teachers in budget move: Eleven support staff will also be cut, and 29 positions will be eliminated through attrition to help reduce a budget deficit. | STLtoday

Draft of common education standards draw praise, criticism: The standards represent a sweeping—and controversial—attempt to describe the skills and knowledge every American student should have in English/language arts and mathematics to thrive in college or careers. | Education Week

Mississippi school cancels prom after lesbian student asks to bring her girlfriend as her date: It cited "distractions" caused by the request by Constance McMillen. | Associated Press