NATO chief Anders Fogh Rasmussen says Russia is breaking international law with its effective takeover of Ukraine's Crimea Peninsula. 

'We call on Russia to de-escalate tensions. We call up on Russia to honor all its international commitments, to withdraw its forces to its bases, and to refrain from any interference elsewhere in Ukraine.'

Fogh Rasmussen gave no indication that measures beyond expressions of political support were even debated in the hours long meeting, which included a session with the head of the Ukrainian mission to NATO. Rasmussen says 'I'd like a plan to meet soon with Russia.' For NPR News, I'm Teri Schultz at NATO headquarters in Brussels.                                                     

 

 

More than 1,000 southern California home owners are being allowed to return home after a powerful storm brought inches of rain and mudslides to the area. NPR's Nathan Rott reports.

More than 10 inches of rain fell on the mountains northeast of Los Angeles over the weekend. That rain razed down fire scared hillsides, causing mudslides and washing out roads. Roughly 1,200 homes in the nearby foothills were evacuated late last week before the storm. Only one was declared temporarily uninhabitable Sunday after the worst of the storm had passed. The storm hit the entire California coast: downtown LA received more than 4 inches of rain, downtown San Francisco got more than 8. Forecasters, though, say it won't end California's long running drought. The state's rainfall is still far below where it will normally be for this time of the year. And the weather is expected to return to hot and dry conditions as early as this week. Nathan Rott, NPR News.

 

 

California Governor Jerry Brown says he has mixed emotions about legalizing recreational marijuana in the state. Speaking on NBC's Meet The Press today, Brown said he's worried that if pot use gains more legitimacy, it could have negative effects on the sate and the nation.  

How many people can get stoned and still have a great state or great nation. World's pretty dangerous, very competitive. And I think we need to stay alert, if not 24 hours a day, more than some of the potheads... 

Brown says he is watching closely to see how Colorado and Washington handle their new laws bacco, a step further by regulating the growth and sales of taxed marijuana at state licensed stores. The use of medical marijuana was legalized in California in 1996.

 

 

The 86th Annual Academy Award ceremony is under way in Los Aangeles. Some among the movies, opts for an Oscar this year, are 12 Years A Slave, Dallas Buyers Club and American Hustle. So far Jared Leto picked up the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Dallas Buyers Club.

 

 

This is NPR.

 

 

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon meet this week with Venezuela's Foreign Minister as the violent street demonstrations continue in Caracas. Protesters are demanding that Nicolas Maduro step down because of high inflation, crime an food shortages. They are also demanding the release of protesters who've been jailed at a halt to crackdowns on demonstrations. 

 

 

In Syria, residents in the capital Damascus are reporting fresh shelling by soldiers. They choose between rebel factions and the government. And the Yarmouk neighborhood has fallen apart. The area has been cut off from food and medicine for months. NPR's * reports fighting is continuing across the country.

In Yarmouk, an al-Qaeda linked rebel group distributed fliers, saying that the regime did not adhere to fragile truce that was struck there. Soldiers loyal to President Bashar Assad had arrested people who mastered food distributions, they said, further unless the area could hold UN food handouts, which aid workers say are desperately needed. Along the boarder with Lebanon in the contested town of Yabroud, residents said the rebel-held hideouts in the hills were bombed, but the center of the town remained peaceful, with markets open. Alice Bordan, NPR News, Beirut.

 

 

At least 90 people are dead after attacks in Nigeria. Officials say at least 51 people were killed after twin car bombs at the busy market place. Suspected Islamic extremists also launched attacks in another village, killing 39. 

 

 

The Chinese government is blaming Muslim separatists for a deadly attack at a railway station in southwest China. At least 29 people were stabbed to death yesterday. More than 100 are injured.