Wisconsin Democrats offer compromise
MADISON, Wis., Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Tens of thousands of public employees and Tea Party activists filled Wisconsin's capital Saturday for dueling protests in a battle over public employee unions.
Madison was inundated with an estimated combined 60,000 protesters for the two sides, the Chicago Tribune reported.
Union supports beat drums and chanted "Kill the bill!" while the counter-demonstrators responded with calls for Democratic lawmakers to "Do your job!"
Democrats in the state Senate have at least temporarily blocked a vote on a bill that would strip public employee unions of collective bargaining rights by disappearing out of state. Sen. Jon Erpenbach, a Democrat, reached out to Republican Gov. Scott Walker, suggesting the unions would be willing to concede on wages and benefits if the governor gave in on collective bargaining, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
"Gov. Walker has repeatedly said that we won't negotiate the budget and we can't balance the budget on a hope and a prayer," a spokesman, Cullen Werwie, responded.
"That remains true. State and local government need the flexibility to manage this and future budget crises. In addition, as government workers pay a modest amount toward their pension and healthcare premium, about half the national average, it is fair to give them the choice of additional savings on their union dues."
Demonstrators against and for Walker's bill packed the area around the Statehouse and the Capitol Rotunda. Police were brought in from 40 local, county and state agencies.
Police said the protests were generally peaceful with no arrests reported after several hours. The Tribune said the two sides melded at some points, with some engaging in calm debate while others ratcheted the tension up to screams.
The Tribune noted similar legislation is being put forth in Ohio and Iowa with anti-union forces trying other avenues for limiting collective bargaining in Michigan and Indiana.
"This is where we're gonna start," Tea Party organizer Melvin Timm of Neenah, Wis., said. "This is gonna set the tone."
France, Britain halt arms sales to Bahrain
PARIS, Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Britain and France have curtailed arms sales to Bahrain in the wake of government crackdowns on mass protests and France has also suspended sales to Libya.
The French government said Thursday there was "excessive use of force" employed in both Bahrain and Libya, as well as Yemen, Radio France Internationale reported. Officials said sales of security equipment would be suspended because of police killings of protesters.
British Foreign Secretary Alistair Burt announced Thursday that 44 arms export licenses for Bahrain had been suspended, Sky News reported. He said they included licenses to export tear gas and riot control equipment.
"We are deeply concerned about the situation in Bahrain and the events which have led to the deaths of several protesters," he said.
The wave of mass protest sweeping the Middle East began in Tunisia. French officials have said exports of security equipment to the government of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, who was forced out by the demonstrations, were canceled, but French Foreign Minister Michele Alliot-Marie has been criticized for close ties to the regime.
Winds bring down National Christmas Tree
WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Strong winds whipped the U.S. Northeast Saturday, causing power outages throughout the region and brush fires around Washington.
The National Christmas Tree, a 42-foot-tall Colorado blue spruce that had stood on the Ellipse near the White House since it was planted in 1978, was brought down by a gust in the morning, The Washington Post reported. Interstate 95 was closed near Laurel, Md., because of smoke from a 100-acre brush fire, snarling traffic around Washington, police said.
No deaths or serious injuries were reported.
The winds, gusting up to 50 mph, knocked down power lines that left at least 18,000 customers without power in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Northern Virginia, the Post said.
Wind warnings remained in effect from North Carolina through New York and Massachusetts to southern Vermont and New Hampshire, the National Weather Service said.
Two storms were heading into the Midwest. Forecasters said the heaviest snow would cover parts of South Dakota, Minnesota and northern Wisconsin. The Minneapolis Star Tribune's meteorologist predicted the worst of the first storm would strike Sunday afternoon with 12-16 inches of snow by Monday accompanied by 25-35 mph winds.
The second storm will cross the Midwest Monday, swooping a bit further south to drop snow on Nebraska, South Dakota, Minnesota, northern Missouri, southern Wisconsin and Michigan, and the northern parts of Illinois, Indiana and Ohio.
The Arizona Department of Public Safety said a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 10 near Casa Grande appeared to have been caused by a heavy dust storm that reduced visibility, KNXV-TV in Phoenix reported.
In California, a Pacific storm continued that began Friday continued to dump rain on low-lying areas and feet of snow in the mountains.
Obama coaches while family goes skiing
WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 (UPI) -- President Obama did a little youth basketball coaching Saturday while first lady Michelle Obama and their daughters skied in Colorado, the White House said.
"Today the president helped coach Sasha's basketball team filling in for the regular parent coach," an administration official told reporters after the president's outing to a community center in Chevy Chase, Md. "The first lady and the Obama daughters are on a private family trip to Colorado.
"The first lady and several close friends are chaperoning their children on a ski trip."
The White House provided no details on the president's coaching efforts or whether his team won.
The Washington Post reported the first lady, Sasha and sister Malia left for Vail Friday while the president was attending events on the West Coast. "Personal expenses are being paid for by the Obamas," Katie McCormick-Lelyveld, a spokeswoman for the first lady, told the Post by e-mail.
