We don't know the identity of the military units that guard the airports here. But we do know their allegiance lies with Moscow; We know the naval ship that patrols the Balaklava Bay take its orders from the Kremlin; The military trucks that moved on the roads today, belong to the same Black Sea Fleet: all of which suggests that President Putin is quickly and effectively taking control. Across the peninsula, there are paramilitary forces in place at the telecommunications hubs, at the state television building, and at the local Parliament. If reports are right, 700 Russian troops will flow in tonight, while civilian airspace has closed all its incoming and outgoing flights.BBC's Christian Fraser.

The White House is evaluating whether President Obama will go forward with plans to attend an international summit in Russia this summer. 

 

 

In California, more evacuations have made continued concerns over storms there that officials fear could lead to a mudslide or flooding. The evacuation has been ordered in another community in ... mountain east of  Los Angeles as storms are expected to continue through tomorrow. Steve Martin, the assistant fire chief in Los Angeles, says those people being told to evacuate need to do so now. 

If you are stuck in your house and mud debris comes in there, we are not gonna be able to come to get you out until that debris stops moving in, until the mud stops flowing. And that may take some time.

Today, 200 homes in Monrovia near where a wildfire burned in April were evacuated. It comes on the heels of the evacuations of 1000 homes yesterday in the communities of Glendora and Azusa.

 

 

A federal appeals court in California has ruled that high school officials can require students to cover up shirts depicted in the American flag in order to prevent campus violence. NPR's * explains the ruling * the history of racial conflicts from white and Latino students. 

A group of Mexican-American students paraded a Mexican flag during a school's section celebration of Cinco de Mayo, a Mexican holiday. Some white students at Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, just south of San Jose, responded by wearing shirts showing the American flag. With tensions brewing, the school's Principle instructed the white students to turn their shirts inside-out, or go home with an excused absence. The white students filed a suit, alleging discrimination and their free speech rights were violated. But a three-judge panel of the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled unanimously, that it wouldn't second-guess school officials who are trying to avert violence. Richard Gonzales NPR News, San Francisco.  

 

 

According to Commerce Department, the Gross Domestic Product, that's the total value of goods and services within the US economy, expanded at a 2.4% annual rate in the 4th quarter. That's down substantially from earlier estimates.

 

 

On Wall Street today, the Dow closed up 49 points. The NASDAQ fell ten points.  

 

 

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In a major operation aimed at cracking down on global fraud, the police have announced they arrested 100 people in Britain, Spain, Serbia and the US. They rage earlier this week, targeting 35 properties in 4 countries, connected to the so-calledboiler room operations. It's a word gangs seek to do pick by the worth of or non-existent shares of stock. Most of the arrested were charged with fraud and suspected money laundering.  

 

 

A significant step today in President Obama's plan to connect 15,000 schools to broadband and wireless technology within 5 years at a White House ceremony honoring students film makers, the President announced a $400 m down payment all over from private companies. Here's G reports.  

Two companies, Adobe and Prezi, are getting school's mostly free software for teachers to use for creative media projects. But the overall commitments from others, including Apple, Microsoft, Sprint, and Verizon, totals $ 750 m thus far. The Federal Communications Commission is putting another $2 bn to connect more classrooms and libraries to high speed internet. Only 30% of schools today have broad band. And internet speed in 70% of schools that are connected is way too slow. The president says his plan known as ConnectED will create the foundation for transforming the classroom. Gul Tuysuz NPR News.

 

 

Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert F Kennedy, has been acquitted of the charge of driving under the influence. During the liberal debate today in White Plains New York courtroom, Kerry has been faced with minor charges on an incident where her car struck a tractor-trailer when she was found slump over the wheel. Kerry claims she has mistakenly taken a sleeping pill instead of a thyroid  medication. She testified she did not remember the subsequent crash.   

I'm Jack Speer. NPR News.