10 Things to Know for Thursday

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today.

THE POLITICS OF GUNS LEAPS TO THE TOP OF THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE – In the wake of the shootings in Colorado, President Obama calls for stiffer regulations while Mitt Romney says he doesn’t believe America needs new gun laws.
WHAT’S ON THE LINE FOR ROMNEY ABROAD – The GOP candidate’s trip to Britain, Israel and Poland amounts to an international audition.
THE NEXT FRONTIER IN THE FIGHT AGAINST AIDS – The epidemic increasingly is a female one, and curbing it will require focusing on poverty and violence, not just pregnancy and pills.
USE OF SYNTHETIC DRUGS SURGES – People are inventing so many new, legal ways to get high that lawmakers can’t seem to keep up.
NORTH KOREAN LEADER SHOWS OFF NEW WIFE – Now we know the identity of the mystery woman accompanying North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at recent public events.
A POSTHUMOUS REVELATION – In her obituary, which she co-wrote with her partner, pioneering astronaut Sally Ride disclosed publicly that she was gay.
THE WEAR AND TEAR OF LIFE IN A TALIBAN STRONGHOLD – In Pakistan’s northwest, psychiatrists estimate millions suffer post-traumatic stress disorder and other psychological illnesses after years of violence.
WHY ‘TWILIGHT’ FANS ARE HEARTBROKEN – Kristen Stewart admits she cheated on her boyfriend and co-star Robert Pattinson. But the scandal seems unlikely to affect box-office returns.
DOs AND DON’Ts FOR OLYMPIC TRAVELERS – Welcome to Britain! The line forms to the right. Here are some tips for Olympic visitors hoping to get the most out of their experience.
FLAG FLAP AT THE OLYMPICS – The South Korean flag is mistakenly displayed on a jumbo screen instead of North Korea’s before a women’s soccer match, prompting the North Koreans to refuse to take the field for nearly an hour.