From NPR News in Washington, I am Lakshmi Singh.

The unemployment rate has fallen to 8.2% . Fewer people were included in March's employment tally because fewer are looking for work and 120,000 jobs were added to the economy in March, that's about half the number from the month before.

President Obama is moving to solidify what appears to be a widening gender gap in this fall's election. NPR's Julie Rovner reports the president used a White House forum on women's issues to tell the healthcare law and more. Mr. Obama used part of his speech to note how much the health law helps women. Provisions already in effect are providing both younger and older women with access to preventive care services at no up front cost and assuming the Supreme Court let the law go forward. Provisions will take effect in 2014, will no longer let insures, charge women more simply because of their gender. But the president did acknowledge that his administration hasn't solved all of women's problems. we haven't gotten on the dry cleaning thing yet though, and I know that is still frustrating, I am sure.

That's a reference to the fact that dry cleaners charge more for women's shirts than for men's. Julie Rovner, NPR News, Washington.

Turkey is saying an influx of Syrians who are escaping relentless shelling in their country. NPR's Grant Clark is monitoring developments from Beirut.

Turkish officials say more than 2,300 Syrians have streamed into Turkey in the past two days. They joined some  23,000 others already taking refuge there. Activists say the surge follows a blistering three-day air and ground assault on a small town of Taftanaz . The claim can not be independently verified but amateur videos show helicopters firing rockets and a mass grave reportedly discovered after the offensive.

Cairo's Tahrir square is again the site of demonstrations, where people are backing a conservative Islamist who may be disqualified from next month's presidential context in Egypt, as NPR's Peter Kenyon explains.

On Egypt Arab Spring standards, this was not an especially large rally, but those who came were passionate in their support for Sheik Hazem Abul Ismail, who may have run to foul  of Egypt's election law. The law says neither a candidate nor his parents could have any non-Egyption citizenship. And the election commission says Abul Ismail's mother had US citizenship. Those rally accused Washington and Egypt's military council of conspiring to keep Islamic candidates off the ballot. The biggest benefitionary if Abul Ismail is disqualified, however, would appear to the Muslim brotherhood candidate, Khairat al-Shater. Peter Kenyon, NPR News, Cairo.

Three people are injured but there are no reports of deaths from today's navy jet crash in a Virginia beach residential neighborhood. The aircraft's two aviators ejected.

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Fourteen New York City teachers accused of inappropriate behavior with students are still teaching. Even though the city attempted to fire them. The NPR's Margot Adler reports that an arbitrator overruled the city.

Sixteen teachers were identified as behaving badly, two were fired. New York's law says teachers have the right to a heaing before an independent arbitrator. The arbitrator gave lesser punishments, fines, formal reprimands and suspensions. The New York Times and the New York Daily News requested documents under the freedom of information law. A few teachers were accused of physical contact that made students uncomfortable. A science teacher rubbing against a student in a lab. A few for emailing or texting inappropriate comments. Some of the teachers said the charges were trumped up and they were innocent. The current School's Chancellor  Dennis Walcott says if he had the power, they would not be teaching, but his hands were tied. Margot Adler, NPR News, New York.

A ferry captain is being hang a hero, yet again. Mohamed Gouda was on his way back to New Jercy from a New York waterway ferry trip when he spotted an overturned tugboat this morning near Liberty Island. He rescued the three crew members using cradles dipped into the Hudson River, the same strategy used in the miracle on the Hudson back in 2009, that's when a US Airways flight managed to land safely in the Hudson. Gouda was among those who made sure that everyone made it out safely.

Christians around the world observing good Friday described as a commemoration of the crucifixion of Jesus Chris. At the Vatican, Pope Benedict VXI is expected to deliver a speech at the end of the torch-lit nighttime perception.

I am Lakshmi Singh, NPR News in Washington.