Korva Coleman

Update at 6:00 p.m. ET:

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has signed into law two controversial "right-to-work" bills passed earlier Tuesday by the state's House. This officially makes Michigan the 24th right-to-work state in the nation.

The two bills give both public and private employees so-called right-to-work protections — controversial pieces of legislation that have sparked protests in and around the state capitol in Lansing.

Good morning, here are our top stories:

Syrian Defector: Assad Will Use Chemical Weapons If He's Desperate.

And here are other early headlines:

Union Protesters Converge On Michigan Capitol Ahead Of Right-To-Work Vote. (Michigan Live)

That fledgling Democrat within Charlie Crist, former Republican governor of Florida, has emerged at last:

This should be The Decision That Surprised No One, since Crist was a featured speaker at the Democratic National Convention last September and had been a registered independent before that.

As NPR's S.V. Date writes,

Some outraged protesters remain around the Egyptian presidential palace in Cairo today, as opponents of President Mohammed Morsi defy his recent ruling granting himself executive powers that can't be questioned by a court.

Now there's word he may have signed a new order allowing soldiers to detain and arrest civilians, a right that's reserved for police officers.

Former Florida neighborhood watch volunteer George Zimmerman says NBC Universal's editorial decisions made him look like a racist when the network covered the shooting and killing of teenager Trayvon Martin.

Good Friday morning - here are our early stories:

Strong Earthquake Strikes Japan, Triggering Small Tsunami.

And here are more early headlines:

Skittish Investors Waiting For Latest Unemployment Rate News. (MarketWatch)

Good morning, here are our early stories:

In Cairo: Several Killed, Hundreds Injured, Tanks Deployed As Clashes Continue.

Syria: Clinton To Meet Russian Diplomat; Sarin Fears Continue.

A group of unionized clerical workers has effectively shut down much of the operations at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. The clerical workers, members of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, walked off the job on Wednesday, saying they feared Port officials were outsourcing their jobs.

Their clout grew dramatically yesterday when unionized longshoremen in both cities agreed to honor their picket lines.

Good Friday morning, here are our early stories:

In Egypt: Draft Of Constitution OK'd; Protesters Return To Tahrir Square.

Woman's Sad Story About Missing Hat Touches Many Hearts, Goes Viral.

And here are other early headlines:

It's hard to keep track of who is fighting who in the west African nation of Mali, but it appears that Islamist rebels have pushed secular Tuareg rebels out of a small town about 50 miles east of the border with Mauritania. As the Associated Press notes, the action comes about a week after militants captured the town of Ménaka, in eastern Mali, about 65 miles from the border with Niger.

Good morning, here are our winning early stories:

Winning Powerball Tickets Sold In Arizona And Missouri; Who Bought Them?

What Will A U.N. Upgrade Mean For Palestinians?

And here are more early headlines:

Garment factories in Bangladesh closed for a third day following Sunday's factory fire that left around 110 people dead. Tens of thousands of people continued to protest against the tragedy and for better working conditions in Ashulia, the factory suburb of Dhaka, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Good morning - here are our early stories:

In Cairo, Tensions Still High As 'Die-Hards' Continue To Protest.

OK, North Korea's Leader Isn't 'Sexiest Man Alive', Chinese Media Concede.

And here are more headlines:

Good morning, here are our early stories:

No Peace:Bomb Rips Apart Bus in Tel Aviv; Israel Continues Strikes In Gaza.

India Executes Mumbai Attack Gunman.

And here are more headlines:

Kweku Adoboli will spend seven years in prison for his unauthorized trades at UBS. A British court convicted him on two counts of fraud for losing $2.3 billion dollars in his risky bets over several years, ending in 2011.

Federal authorities are accusing four men from California of plotting to help al-Qaida and the Taliban. Last Friday, they arrested Ralph Deleon, 23, Arifeen David Gojali, 21 and Miguel Alejandro Santana Vidriales, 21 as they prepared to fly to Afghanistan. They were to meet Sohiel Omar Kabir, 34, who was already there. Kabir is being held by officials in Afghanistan.

Good morning, here are our early stories:

Conflict In Gaza: Latest News.

Christian Girl Accused Of Blasphemy Cleared By Pakistani Court.

Britain Recognizes Syrian Opposition.

And here are more early headlines:

Good morning, here are our early stories:

Both Sides 'Ready To Escalate' As Israel And Hamas Fire Away.

Petraeus Facing Questions About Benghazi Attack.

And here are more early headlines:

Good Thursday morning, here are our early stories:

In Israel And Gaza Strip: More Explosions, Deaths On Both Sides.

BP Expected To Plead Guilty, Pay Record Fine In Gulf Oil Spill Criminal Case.

And here are more headlines:

The frustration with the response by New York power companies to Superstorm Sandy claimed a senior official yesterday. Michael Hervey, the acting chief officer of Long Island Power Authority, known as LIPA, says he'll resign at the end of this year.

Good morning, here are our early stories:

Panetta: Don't Leap To Conclusions About Gen. Allen.

Should Petraeus Scandal Be A Big Topic At Obama's News Conference Today?

And here are more early headlines:

About noon today, people in eastern Kentucky were startled by a novel event - an earthquake. The U.S. Geological Survey says a tremor shook the region near Whitesburg. It's a rural area about 150 miles southeast of Lexington, Ky., and about 140 miles northeast of Knoxville, Tenn. No one was hurt.

The magnitude was 4.3, which the USGS site says triggers a "sensation like a heavy truck striking the building" and is "felt by nearly everyone".

A day after the story broke, the news remains stunning — CIA director and retired Gen. David Petraeus resigns in a lightning stroke, admitting he used extremely poor judgment by engaging in an extramarital affair.

It's shocking because Petraeus is considered an extremely able leader who's been judged by this single word, says NPR's Tom Bowman: Iraq.

Aaron Thomas, the man suspected as the 'East Coast Rapist', is scheduled to enter a plea in two Virginia courts this month, according to reports. The Associated Press says on Nov. 30, Thomas will appear in a courtroom in Loudoun County, apparently to enter a plea in a sexual assault case.

Good Friday morning, here are our top stories:

VIDEO: Obama Tears Up As He Thanks Campaign Staff.

New York Starts Gas Rationing; New Jersey To Re-evaluate.

And here are other early headlines: