NPR 2011-03-30

World powers are united against Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, collectively declaring today that he's got to go, but diplomats 1 from the 40 or so countries taking part in the London gathering 2 did not talk about arming Libya's rebels. The opposition 3, which met with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton today, says it remains 4 to be seen if the coalition 5 air strikes are enough to defeat Gaddafi's forces. Casting further doubt today, government troops pushed back the rebels advance westward 6 on multiple fronts including Gaddafi's hometown Sirte.

The Pentagon says the US bill for getting involved in Libya is more than a half-billion dollars so far. NPR's Rachel Martin says that number is expected to go up in the coming weeks.

The Pentagon's price tag measures the cost of the US part of the coalition operation in Libya since it began 11 days ago. Sixty percent of that $550 million figure has been spent on weapons and ammunition 7. The remaining funds have been used to pay for what a Pentagon spokesman called the "higher operating tempo 8 of US forces and deployment 9 costs". The Pentagon expects to add costs of about $40 million over the next three weeks as US forces step into a support role and NATO assumes control of the operation. If the Libyan mission extends after that point, US officials expect to spend about $40 million a month. Rachel Martin, NPR News, Washington.

More details emerging on a murderous attack on a local government building in Iraq today. In the city of Tikrit, more than 50 people are dead. NPR's Mike Shuster reports it took security forces hours to end the attack.

The gunmen numbered only 10 or 12, but they managed to seize the local provincial 10 council building by detonating a car bomb, throwing grenades and opening fire with automatic weapons. The gunmen were also dressed in Iraqi military uniforms. The attackers rapidly seized the building, and a fierce battle erupted with security forces. After several hours, additional security forces were brought in, and they stormed the building. The attackers then shot all their hostages, perhaps as many as 15. Among them, several of the council members. Also, one local journalist was killed, who worked for Reuters and other news organizations. Then the attackers detonated their suicide bomb belts. It was the bloodiest 11 single attack in Iraq since last October. Mike Shuster, NPR News, Baghdad.

Japanese officials are characterizing as very grave the situation at a damaged nuclear plant after finding highly toxic 12 plutonium seeping 13 from the site. NPR's Jason Beaubien reports on the ongoing 14 worries around the Fukushima site.

We asked people in these, these areas near the plant what their biggest challenge is, what their biggest concern is. They say the uncertainty 15: not knowing when things are gonna get back to normal; not knowing when they're gonna get control of the situation at the plant; and not knowing when their lives are gonna be able to get back  to normal.

NPR's Jason Beaubien.

On Wall Street, Dow was up 81 at 12,279.

This is NPR.

Federal banking 16 regulators proposed new rules for home mortgages today that could require larger down payments for some home loans. NPR's Chris Arnold reports some experts applaud the move, others worry it could hurt home ownership.

Regulators are trying to create a new class of home loans that are considered especially stable and low-risk. They'll be called "qualified 17 residential 18 mortgages". And to get this federal stamp of approval, the FDIC is proposing that a person buying a home makes a 20% down payment. There are some other requirements too. The homeowner has to fully 19 document their income, for example. For all other loans that might be more risky 20, the banks that make the loans will have to hold onto a percentage of that risk. Or put another way, the banks will have to have some skin in the game on those loans. They won't just be able to sell the loans off to somebody else. Some economists 21 think that this will make for more responsible lending, but housing advocates worry that people with modest incomes will get shut out of home ownership because of those larger 20% down payments. Chris Arnold, NPR New.

It's getting more expensive to buy food and fill up the gas tank, and those are two big reasons the latest gauge 22 on consumer confidence is down for the first time in five months. The Conference Board's index fell more than expected from 72 in February to 63.4. The decline raises concerns about people's ability and willingness to spend more money in the coming months.

A measure to curb 23 union rights for government workers in Ohio is expected to come up for a vote in the Republican-controlled House tomorrow. Now that it's been approved in committee, the panel voted 9-6 to recommend the bill, which imposes more restrictions 24 on unions.

Before the close on Wall Street, the Dow was up more than 80 at 12,279.