From NPR news in Washington, I’m Lakshmi Singh.

The US Supreme Court is indicating, it may allow Arizona to enforce parts of its immigration law known as SB 1070. That law includes provision that requires police officers to ask about a person’s immigration status, if he or she is suspected of being in the US illegally. NPR’s Ted Robbins reports justices seem skeptical of at least some of the Obama administration’s claims against the law.

Obama administration Solicitor General Donald Verrilli argued that allowing Arizona to require police to verify a suspect’s immigration status would interfere with federal immigration enforcement. At one point though, Justice Thornell M and Obama appointee told Verrilli “you can say it’s not selling very well”. The justices were not as clear about other block provisions of Arizona’s law including one making it a crime for immigrants to not have registration papers on them. The Supreme Court ruling is expected in June. Ted Robbins, NPR news.

The head of Homeland Security is denouncing as inexcusable the recent prostitution scandal involving secret service agency ahead of President Obama’s trip to Columbia. In her Capitol Hill appearance today, Janet Napolitano said eight agents have lost their jobs when other could be soon out end. Three have been declared of serious misconduct. Napolitano says she was sure that the President’s security was never at risk.

Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich has decided to end his run for the White House one day after Mitt Romney swept five primaries and was dubbed “presumptive nominee” by the chairman of the Republican National Committee. As NPR’s Arney Cibber reports Gingrich will drop out next week.

A source close to the Gingrich campaign confirms to NPR that the former House Speaker will suspend his campaign on Tuesday in Washington DC. Gingrich’s spokesman says his candidate talked with Mitt Romney and Gingrich told Romney he’ll endorse him next week. Gingrich had been focusing his efforts on Delaware in recent weeks. He placed a distant second to Romney in the Delaware primary. His best show in five contests held on Tuesday. Gingrich’s only victory in this primary season came in South Carolina and his home state of Georgia. The formal announcement will reportedly not come until next week. So the candidate’s family and staff can be present. Arney Cibber, NPR news, Washington.

Connecticut is doing away with the death penalty. The governor signed a law today, joining 16 other states in abolishing capital punishment.

The Federal Reserve is keeping a key short term interest rate in a record low for a least couple more years, which means it’ll remain cheap for American to take out loans. In notes released today, the Fed said the US economy continues to grow moderately with slight improvement in the job market.

Before the close on Wall Street, Dow Jones Industrial Average up 89 points at 13,091; Nasdaq gaining 68 points up more than 2% at 3,030; S&P 500 up 19. This is NPR news.

Parts of the Syrian city of Hama are reported to be under a military siege, and again activists say there’ve been dozens more causalities today, reaffirming skepticism that UN-backed ceasefire will ever fully kick in. Meanwhile conditions in refugee camps appear to be getting more difficult. NPR’s Peter Kenyon is in Killis on the border with Turkey.

Syrians inside the camps are getting frustrated because it’s hard for them to move and the smugglers are getting frustrated because it’s getting harder for them even to get across into Syria with equipment and gear. I’m not talking about weapon gear. There are still leftovers at other border-crosses. They smuggle weapons in small amount. But mainly it’s medical and food and communication’s equipment that these smugglers are dealing with. NPR’s Peter Kenyon reporting.

The share of mixed recent inter-ethnic married couples grew 28% over the past decade. NPR’s Jennifer Ludden reports on the latest census figures on American households and families.

10% of all married couples in the US are now of two races or as illicitness. And the share is even greater among same sex couples and unmarried partners. Couples living together are increasingly common. The census finds a 41% jump between 2000 and 2010. The census defines family as those related by marriage, birth or adoption. And they still make up most households by far. But the census shows non-family households grew twice as fast. Many are people living alone, a group that accounts for nearly half of all households in Washington DC and Atlanta. Jennifer Ludden, NPR news, Washington.

I’m Lakshmi Singh, NPR news, in Washington.