Russia is skipping the meeting because it says it’s only aimed at isolating the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and will hurt the chances of peace. France is said to be angered by Russia’s snob. France, the US, Turkey and the Arab League are standing solidly together in Paris to put pressure on al-Assad to respect the UN-brokered ceasefire. There are a handful of UN monitors already on the ground in Syria, and the al-Assad regime agreed Thursday to accept hundreds more. The Paris “Friends of Syria” meeting is looking at other options to stop the violence in case the ceasefire breaks down entirely. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Paris.

 

A team of FBI and New York police investigators is combing the basement of a New York City building for the remains of six-year-old Etan Patz. NPR’s Margot Adler reports that Patz disappeared 33 years ago in May of 1979, and the fear over his disappearance led to a sea change in attitudes.

 

Investigators began searching a small basement in SoHo, a block from his home, and the search may continue for three to five days. A police spokesman said information known at the time is being reexamined. Before Patz disappeared on his way to school, there were no missing children on milk cartons, and it was normal for city children to walk to school and take the subway alone at an early age. The disappearance caused a huge change in the attitudes toward the protection of children. Now with a crime rate lower than in 1979, attitudes have not changed back. Margot Adler, NPR News, New York.

 

A small plane that fighter jets have been tracking for hours today crashed into the Gulf of Mexico. The Coast Guard says the jets were unable to make contact with the pilot. The aircraft was flying from Louisiana to Sarasota when it went down about 120 miles west of Tampa, Florida.

 

Levon Helm, drummer and singer of in The Band, has died at the age of 71. According to his website, Helm died this afternoon of cancer. He played drums, guitar and mandolin and sang until the group’s 1976 “The Last Waltz” farewell performance. Family and friends are remembering him as a brilliant musician and beautiful soul. 

 

This is NPR.

 

The US Marine Drum and Bugle Corps greeted space shuttle Discovery when it arrived at the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum outside Washington DC. NPR’s Nell Greenfieldboyce reports the events celebrated Discovery’s transformation.

 

Discovery was parked outside the museum, nose to nose with Enterprise, a pristine, white prototype shuttle. It made Discovery look charred and gray. Over three decades, Discovery blasted off more than any other spacecraft. Astronauts who flew on Discovery were there, including former Senator John Glenn. 

 

“Today Discovery takes on a new mission, less dynamic perhaps, but nonetheless important. It will be on display not only as a testament to evince our time, but also as an inspiration to future generations.”

 

He served as the witness as officials signed an agreement transferring Discovery to the Smithsonian. Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR News.

 

A new report predicts what it calls payroll for Asian development if women’s economy status in the region keeps falling. The Asia Society released a survey today that found women in Asia are still politically underrepresented and continued to be paid less than men for the same jobs performed. The report warns the limits confronting female workers could cost the region 89 billion dollars a year in lost productivity.

 

Before the close on Wall Street, the Dow was down 70 points at 12,964.