The State Department says John Kerry advised his Russian counterpart against continued military escalation and provocation in Ukraine. Kerry also said that steps by Russia to annex Crimea would close any available space to diplomacy. During a phone call, Kerry urged Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to exercise the utmost restraint. Vocation in Florida, President Obama spoke to the leaders of France, England and Italy, and to the heads of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. The White House says all of the leaders reject the planned March 16 cessation referendum in Crimea. They call on Russia to pull its forces back to their military bases, and they support the formation of a contact group leading to direct talks between Ukraine and Russia. * NPR News, Washington.

 

 

The US Navy has sent a guide missile destroyer to assist in the search for a missing Malaysia Airlines flight. NPR's Sam Sanders reports that 3 Americans were on board the flight which went missing more than 24 hours ago.

The Navy has appointed the USS Pinckney to the southern coast of Vietnam to help search for the plane, which had 239 people on board. The Navy has also sent the P-3C Orion aircraft from Japan. It will help with long-range and radar search. The US vessels will join an international search effort. Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 took off from Kuala Lumpur early Saturday, and was bound for Beijing. But the airlines says contact was lost. Military plane from Vietnam reported seeing two oil slicks out that country's coast. But they have not yet linked them to the missing plane. In a statement, Malaysia Airlines asked all Malaysians and people around the world to pray for the flight. Sam Sanders, NPR News.

 

 

The nations largest gathering of conservative activists came to a close outside Washington D.C. tonight. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, and former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, hit it the headline the final day of the Conservative Political Action Conference. In closing remarks, Palin says the Republican establishment doesn't pledge hard enough for change in Washington.

Some GOP experts, they subscribe to the old saying, you know, don't interrupt while they are in the process of destroying themselves. Maybe true, but you do interrupt when they are in the process of destroying your country. 

The conference also features the results of the annual presidential preference poll. Kentucky Senator  Rand Paul captured an overwhelming 31% of the vote, taking first place for the second straight year. Texas Senator Ted Cruz, came in second with 11%. 

 

 

This is NPR News.

 

 

The California legislature is set to consider a bill to ban orca killer whale shows at Sea World in San Diego. Sea World questions the legality of the measure. And as * reports, San Diego officials say the park is an economic driver for the city. 

San Diego Sea World attracts more than 4 m visitors a year, and the orca shows are the market attraction. But the bill sponsor Assemblyman Richard Bloom says the practice of keeping orcas captive for human amusement must stand. 

California has long been a leader in animal welfare, and we must continue to lead the way. There's simply no justification for the continued captive display of orcas for entertainment purposes.     

Bloom says he decided to draft the measure after watching the documentary Black Fish, that deliberated a blistering critic of Sea World's handling of captive orcas. For NPR News, I'm * in Los Angeles.

 

 

President Obama is continuing his push to raise the nation's minimum wage. In his weekly address today, he reiterated his call for Congress to increase wages from $ 7.25 an hour to $10.10.

A clear majority of Americans support raising the minimum wage. Because we believe that nobody works full time should have to live in poverty. 

 

 

In this week's Republican address, Senator Rob Portman of Ohio discussed a GOP plan designed to spark economic recovery. He said under reforms and the Jobs for American Plan, unemployment would drop, and incomes would rise as the gap separating the rich from the poor closes. 

 

 

Veteran stage, film and TV actor Sheila MacRae has died. She was best known for playing Alice Kramden in the recreation of the Honeymooners in 1960s.