Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• The dangers of performing classical music
  All Things Considered medical analyst Dr. Jon Hallberg tells host Tom Crann about the practice of performing arts medicine. Dr. Hallberg will join the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra on their upcoming tour of Europe.4:50 p.m.
• Governor pushes school policies in 5th State of State speech
  The Republican governor told a joint session of the Minnesota House and Senate that lawmakers from both political parties need to work together to move the state in a common direction. But DFL leaders says some of Pawlenty's proposals just won't fly.5:20 p.m.
• Hospital errors up sharply in latest report
  Medical mistakes and errors rose sharply in Minnesota hospitals during the most recent one-year period measured by the Minnesota Department of Health.5:24 p.m.
• Army "goofed" in communicating Minnesota Guard deployment extension plans
  The commander of the Minnesota Army National Guard in Iraq has apologized to his soldiers and their family members.5:50 p.m.
• Monticello nuclear plant shut down indefinitely
  Federal officials are asking several nuclear power plants to check their facilities after a piece of equipment broke down at a power plant in central Minnesota. The plant, located northwest of the Twin Cites in Monticello, is still shut down.5:54 p.m.
• Tim Brewster meets Minnesota
  Minnesota's new football coach says his immediate goal is to win the Big Ten. In his first appearance, he touted his reputation as a great recruiter5:57 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• A Perfect Powder Day — for Helping a Stranger
  Skiing on a gorgeous winter day can offer a chance to enjoy a day without responsibilities. But when she came upon an injured skier, one woman found herself immersed in an entirely different experience than she anticipated.
• Comair Crash: Pilots Discussed Dark Runway
  The National Transportation Safety Board releases its findings in the August 2006 crash of Comair Flight 5191. The plane went down as it attempted to take off from Blue Grass Airport in Lexington, Ky., killing 49 people. The only survivor was the first officer, who was critically wounded.
• The Pumping Sounds of Chemotherapy
  Listener Janet Jones of Conway, Ark., tell us about, and let's us listen to, the chemo pump her husband uses.
• Ice Storms Lead Oklahoma Church to Offer Shelter
  Ice storms that have crippled McAlester, Okla., and left many residents without heat have led a local church to offer shelter to dozens of people. In the past two days, the town's First Baptist Church has given bed space to nearly 80 people. Now, says church member Wayne Hicks, they're setting up a kitchen.
• House Approves Plan to Cut Student Loan Rates
  The House of Representatives approves a bill to cut student loan interest rates in half over the next 5 years. The measure passed with bipartisan support. The Democrats' bill would reduce interest rates on college loans for low- and middle-income students, by stepping them down slowly, from the current 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent in five years.
• Justice Dept. Reverses Stance on Domestic Spying
  The Justice Department says it will give an independent body the authority to monitor the government's controversial domestic-spying program, a decision that eases the Bush administration's surveillance policy. The authority has been given to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court.
• Senators Air Their Ideas on the Plan for Iraq
  Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT), a candidate for president, is calling for prohibiting increasing troop levels in Iraq without congressional approval. Sen. Chuck Hagel (R-NE), a potential presidential candidate, is offering a resolution opposing "escalation" of the war. And Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) is talking about her recent trip to Iraq.
• Beyond the Chunnel: Did France, Britain Nearly Join?
  Recently discovered papers indicate that French Prime Minister Guy Mollet went to London in 1956 with a surprising proposal that Britain and France be consolidated into one nation. The documents uncovered by the BBC are interesting — but the proposal was never seriously considered, says Kings College professor Richard Vinen.
• Chirac's Plans Are in the Air; So Is the Presidency
  As France prepares to elect a new president this year, there is much speculation over President Jacques Chirac, 74, who may step down after 12 years in power. Just three and a half months away from April's presidential poll, Chirac refuses to say whether or not he is running.
• Experts: Middle East Turmoil Defined by U.S., Iran
  The Middle East's conflicts are connected by a larger issue: a confrontation between Iran and the United States for power and influence in the region, analysts say. From protesters trying to bring down Lebanon's Western-backed government to violence among Palestinian factions, some experts say the common theme is the jockeying for power between the two larger rivals.
• Baghdad Professor: School Invited Sunni Attacks
  One day after the worst attack against Shiites in months, the dean of Al-Mustansiriya University tries to get the school back on its feet by offering to pay for medical care for the injured students. But at least one professor at the university said the attack was deserved, because the school has become stridently religious.
• America's 'Al Qaeda Homegrown' from Oregon
  Adam Gadahn, the American-born spokesman for al-Qaida, is the first American to be charged with treason in more than 50 years. Gadhan, who was born in Oregon, is thought to be hiding near the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. How he came to be there is the subject of a new article in the Jan. 22 issue of The New Yorker.
• Promising Therapies Are Cutting Cancer Mortality
  The National Cancer Institute will spend nearly $5 billion this year exploring treatments for cancer. Pharmaceutical companies are heavily invested, as are philanthropies. Melissa Block talks with Dr. Allen Lichter, CEO of the American Society for Clinical Oncology, about how these therapies affect the rates of death due to cancer.
• Deaths from Cancer Dropped Two Years in a Row
  The total number of cancer deaths in the United States has declined for two consecutive years, according to new data. Cancer experts say reasons for the declines include fewer people smoking and more people getting screening tests.
• Boxer Muhammad Ali Turns 65
  Commentator Davis Miller, author of The Tao of Muhammad Ali, recalls his first face-to-face meeting with The Greatest: in the ring as a volunteer sparring partner. Ali turns 65 today.

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