NPR 2011-02-23

Wisconsin's Republican governor warns state workers could start being laid off as early as next week if the GOP-led legislature doesn't soon do away with collective bargaining rights for most state workers. Governor Scott Walker says he's taking a necessary approach to plugging a projected 3.6-billion-dollar budget deficit 1. Unionized workers remain entrenched 2 in massive protests at the state Capitol, and supporters in other states are staging similar demonstrations 3 in solidarity 4. Kirk Siegler with member station KUNC is in Denver, where he says demonstrators are fired up about more than a GOP attack on union rights in Wisconsin.

The union leaders here in Colorado are standing 5 in what they say is solidarity with the Wisconsin union workers who've been protesting. They say Wisconsin is not an isolated 6 incident, and so they're out here. They say they just show support for union workers as what they fear is that a national anti-union movement that's starting to sweep the country.

KUNC's Kirk Siegler that is reporting.

President Obama, meanwhile, is coming under more scrutiny 7 over how he balances support for organized labor 8 with renewed promises to back business owners. He was in Cleveland today, where NPR's Scott Horsley reports Mr. Obama wanted to learn more about how the government can help companies grow.

President Obama calls this meeting a working session, not a photo op. He and several cabinet secretaries are hearing from more than 100 business owners in hopes their success will put more Americans back to work.

"What would make it easier for you to grow, what would make it easier for you to create new jobs. How can America help you succeed so that you can help America succeed."

The White House says Cleveland is building a strong record of fostering entrepreneurship. The administration hopes to copy that in other parts of the country. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Cleveland.

Aftershocks continue to rattle 9 the New Zealand city of Christchurch after a powerful earthquake struck, devastating 10 parts of downtown. At least 65 people are confirmed dead, and rescue efforts continue for possibly hundreds more buried in collapsed 11 buildings.

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi is refusing to quit. On state television today, Gaddafi denounced the uprising to get him ousted 12 and said he would keep fighting for his country or die a martyr 13. With the upheaval 14 apparently 15 growing in Libya, that's worrying investors 16 about the effect's troubles with Africa's largest oil producers could have on the global economy. Fadel Gheit with Oppenheimer Holdings says the fears are spreading over higher oil prices.

"If we have supply disruption out of OPEC, I think oil prices would go much higher than the current level."

And we're seeing a play out in US stocks. At last check, the Dow was down nearly 170 points or 1.3% at 12,222, and NASDAQ was down 68 at 2,766.

This is NPR.

Two Iranian naval 17 ships have crossed the Suez Canal, first time in 30 years that Iran has sent military ships through the Suez. Sheera Frenkel has more from Jerusalem.

Israeli officials responded angrily to news that the Iranian vessels 18 had crossed the Suez Canal, calling that act a "provocation 19". Avigdor Lieberman, Israel's foreign minister, said that Iran was trying to provoke a response from Israel by capitalizing on growing instability in the region. He said that Iran was purposefully dispatching ships in a public manner in order to assert Iran's interests. Lieberman's spokesman Yigal Palmor added that the international community should respond firmly to the presence of the Iranian ships in the Mediterranean 20. Meanwhile, Israel's prime minister and defense 21 minister denounced the ships as a power play by Iran. Israeli officials said they were in contact with American and Egyptian officials in the region and were monitoring the ships as they made their way to Syria for training exercises. For NPR News, I'm Sheera Frenkel in Jerusalem.

Home Depot 22 says net income rose more than 70% in the fourth quarter. Edgar Treiguts of Georgia Public Broadcasting has more.

The Atlanta-based company's per share earnings 23 of 36 cents topped analysts 24' expectations, and the retailer 25 posted its first yearly increase in revenue since 2006 before the recession hammered the home improving industry. Home Depot's net income for the year rose 25% to more than 3.3 billion dollars. On the strength of those numbers, the company is forecasting rosier 26 earnings for this year. Home improving retailers 27 are seeing signs of life as the recession wanes 28 and shoppers spend more. For NPR News, I'm Edgar Treiguts in Atlanta.