“The confidence is up, and the economy is getting stronger. But with lots of folks still struggling to find work and pay the bills, we are doing everything we can to speed up the recovery, and that includes boosting trade with our two largest economic partners.”

 

The president also addressed the debate over the health care law, which is under review by the US Supreme Court. He says he’s confident the law will be upheld.

 

Mr. Obama's political rivals, Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum, are campaigning in Wisconsin ahead of tomorrow's GOP primary. NPR's Ari Shapiro reports Romney is talking about his personnel life more than he has in the past.

 

A supporter at a rally in Green Bay asked Mitt Romney about the accusation that he does not relate to average Americans. Romney talked about his work as a lay pastor for the Mormon Church and about his wife's struggles with multiple sclerosis and breast cancer.

 

“And when you get a chance to know people on a very personal basis, whether you’re serving as a pastor or perhaps as a counselor or other kinds of roles, you understand that almost everybody you see is facing some challenges. And one of the reasons I’m running for president of the United States is I want to help people.”

 

Wisconsin is one of three contests tomorrow, along with Maryland and Washington DC. Polls show Romney with a wide lead in all three places. Ari Shapiro, NPR News, Green Bay, Wisconsin.

 

Federal immigration officials say they have arrested more than 3,000 people as part of a nationwide crackdown. NPR's Ted Robbins says the operation was targeting previously convicted criminals.

 

ICE or Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials announced the latest in a series of what they call “Operation Cross Check.” The agency released video showing teams of officers, faces obscured, arresting individuals all over the country.

 

“This morning, we’re going to be among all the targets. We’re going after two. One’s an at-large criminal alien convicted of DWI”.

 

ICE doesn't identify the officers in the video. It arrested gang members, sex offenders and at least one murderer. A large number of people had been previously convicted of immigration violations. As for where they came from, ICE says it arrested natives of 116 countries. Ted Robbins, NPR News.

 

Greeted by a massive welcome banner and resounding cheers today, about 500 southern Indiana students were back in school for the first time since their town was devastated by a tornado a month ago. Henryville Jr/Sr High School students arrived by bus after a ten-mile drive from their hometown to a Scottsburg, Indiana complex.

 

At last check on Wall Street, the Dow was up 83 points a 13,295.

 

This is NPR News

 

A Pakistani court sentenced Osama bin Laden's widows and two of his daughters to 45 days in jail for illegally living in the country. The women have served much of their time in detention since US forces raided the family compound in Abbottabad last May. They now face deportation. One of the wives, a Yemeni, will be deported to her homeland in the coming weeks. But two of the widows are Saudi citizens, and their return home remains uncertain because Saudi officials revoked Osama bin Laden's citizenship in 1994. Their attorney, Amir Khalil, tells NPR News he is in discussions with the Saudis.

 

“Although 45 days, almost a month has been elapsed, and there are only two weeks left. So soon after two weeks, they will be deported.”

 

The widows' attorney, Amir Khalil, speaking with NPR News.

 

Back in the US, the construction industry continues to struggle in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. NPR's Jim Zarroli reports that construction spending fell again in February.

 

The Commerce Department says spending fell by 1.1%, and the decline in January was bigger than first thought. There was weakness across the board. Construction of single-family homes was down, though it was offset to some degree by apartment building. Spending on government construction was down, and so was spending on hotels, offices and shopping malls. The construction sector has rebounded somewhat over the past year. But it's still about 1/3 below the levels it hit at the height of the mortgage boom. Jim Zarroli, NPR News, New York.

 

Today, we’ve been seeing gains in the US market with the Dow up 83 points; NASDAQ gaining 30; S&P 500 up 14 points.

 

This is NPR News.