5 Things to Know This Morning

March 19, 2013 — -- Your look at the five biggest and most buzz-worthy stories of the morning.

1. 340K Gather for Inauguration of Pope

About 340,000 people are gathered in St. Peter's square this morning for the inauguration of Pope Francis. The pope made his way into the square in a convertible Mercedes SUV with no cardinals or bishops with him.

2. Storms Pummel US South, Northeast

More than 340 storm reports, including softball sized hail and wind gusts near 90 miles per hour, have been called in from Arkansas to South Carolina. A winter storm is forecast to dump 6 to 12 inches of snow in parts of New England.

3. 25 Dead in Iraq Car Bomb Blasts

At least 12 car bombs went off in parts of Baghdad and other provinces in Iraq today, killing at least 25 and wounding at least 85 others. The death toll is likely to rise.

4. Steubenville Girls for Alleged Victim Threats

Authorities announced Monday evening that two 16-year-old girls from Steubenville, Ohio have been arrested after they were suspected of making threatening comments on social media against a girl who accused two high school football players of raping her. The girls will appear before a judge today.

5. 'Dancing' Season 16 Begins

Season 16 of "Dancing with the Stars" kicked off on Monday night with a two-hour premiere. Zendaya Coleman and her partner Val Chmerkovskiy are at the top of the leaderboard with 24 points after the first night of dancing while D.L. Hughley and his partner Cheryl Burke landed at the bottom with 12 points.