From KCRW in Santa Monica and PRI, Public Radio International, this is To the Point.

Ukraine and Crimea. The fallout continues.

Hello again, I'm Armin Almi, and this is To the Point from Public Radio International, a daily look at the issues Americans care about most.

Vladimir Putin says annexing Crimea is part of reunifying what he calls historical Russia.

Despite international outrage, it looks like a done deal.

So far, Russia is feeling no pain from economic sanctions, but the U.S. and Europe planned three steps of escalation starting tomorrow.

How much economic damage will the West have

to absorb in order to make a difference? Might Ukraine be better off without arrestive Crimea? And what

will a confrontation with Russia mean for U.S. policy towards Syria and Iran? Today's talking point,

NSA surveillance capabilities, more invasive than ever reported before.

First, here's the news.

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International Program Fund. Hello again, Warren Alney, back with To the Point.

Annexing Crimea is a done deal as far as Vladimir Putin's concerned, but the U.S. and Europe

are ready to ramp up economic sanctions.

We'll look at the possible downsides for both East and West and at diplomatic relations since the Cold War.

Today's talking point, the latest from documents revealed by Edward Snowden, the NSA, can record 100% of an entire nation's telephone calls and listen in later.

First is news update.

The Justice Department has reached a $1.2 billion settlement to end a four-year criminal probe of safety issues involving Toyota.

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