Thousands of people gathered Thursday in Sanford, Fla., to rally for justice in the shooting death of an unarmed black teenager, Trayvon Martin.

Washington, D.C.'s famed blossoms opened earlier than usual, thanks to unusually warm weather — so early, in fact, they'll be gone before the annual Cherry Blossom Festival wraps up. But a new 45-cent postage stamp captures the moment indelibly, commemorating the 100 years since Japan gifted 3,000 trees as a sign of friendship.

Louisiana holds its Republican primary Saturday. All four of the remaining candidates are campaigning in the state.

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have concluded that giving homeowners a big break on their mortgages would make good financial sense in many cases, NPR and ProPublica have learned. But a key regulator has resisted principal write-downs, and some economists fear they would lead to abuses.

Thousands of people are expected to descend on the Mall in Washington, D.C., on Saturday to celebrate not believing in God. Organizers say it is a chance for atheists to show their power in numbers and change their image.