Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Crime and transportation top list of metro area concerns
  Crime and transportation top the list of concerns for metro area residents. The chair of the Metropolitan Council says most Twin Cities residents like living here, but they're also concerned about how fast their communities are growing.5:19 p.m.
• Mark Olson faces lonely session at Capitol
  House Republicans decided late last year to suspend Rep. Olson from their caucus after he was charged with domestic assault.5:22 p.m.
• 'It's not the cold, it's the wind chill'
  Minnesota remained in a deep freeze for the third straight day Monday. The chill prompted school closings across the state, while many residents are taking the chill in stride.5:50 p.m.
• Wisconsin Hmong seeking justice
  The current issue of the nation's Hmong newspaper, "Hmong Today," asks in a bold headline whether a Wisconsin hunter's death was an accident or a hate crime. What really is a hate crime?5:54 p.m.
• Janitors and employers avert strike
  Union janitors and their employers have agreed to a tentative contract.6:19 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Congress Balks at Bush's Education Plan
  President Bush began his presidency with a strong focus on education, but the area's priority level has since fallen. The administration's new budget pledges more money for some higher education grants. But Congress is already objecting to the proposed means of financing.
• Maliki Seeks Momentum in Fight for Baghdad
  In Iraq, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki calls on the country's security forces to speed up their preparation for the Baghdad security operation he announced nearly a month ago. The plan calls for thousands of Iraqi and U.S. troops to deploy in the capital, in hopes of finally securing the city.
• Feeling the Cold Snap: U.S. Temperatures Drop
  Across the Northern Plains and the Eastern United States, the cold snap is blamed for at least seven deaths. Cook, Minn., had the coldest temperature Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service: 31 degrees below zero.
• House Panel Criticizes Shipments of Cash to Iraq
  The Democratic chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee kicked off several days of hearings into fraud and abuse in Iraq. Rep. Henry Waxman took aim today at the U.S. occupation authority and how it handed out huge amounts of cash.
• British Soul Singers Lovingly Revive a Genre
  The British have had a long love affair with American soul music. The Motown and Stax labels were popular in the London clubs of the 1960s, while "rare grooves," or obscure singles, were fuel for the Northern Soul movement of the 1970s and 1980s. These days, the British are making their own soul music.
• Astronaut Faces Attempted-Murder Charges
  In what NASA is calling a bizarre and sad story, an astronaut is accused of attempted kidnapping and murder. Police say that Lisa Nowak planned to kidnap and kill someone she considered to be a romantic rival for the affection of another astronaut. Nowak, 43, is a married mother of three.
• Scandals, Stress Cloud Mayor Newsom's Future
  Gavin Newsom has long been touted as a future senator or California governor, but the San Francisco mayor's political future is now far from certain. His latest public crisis, admitting to an affair with a close friend and political associate, has some wondering whether Newsom has lost his way.
• In Los Angeles, an Artist and a Stripper's Story
  The Virgin of Flames, a novel by Chris Abani, tells the story of an artist in Los Angeles and his muse, a transsexual stripper.
• How a Senate Resolution Loses Its Resolve
  For the past two weeks, it seemed inevitable that the U.S. Senate would debate and vote on a resolution expressing disapproval for President Bush's plan to send more troops to Iraq. But Monday, as a resolution with bipartisan support came to the floor, it fell apart. There was no debate and no vote.
• Looking for the Ark, and Finding Humanity
  For a fan of the movie Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark who is about to travel to Ethiopia, learning that the actual ark is believed to be in the country can bring on a state of excitement and anticipation. But on arrival, the hunger and poverty can overtake those interests.
• Jury in Libby Case Hears His Original Testimony
  Prosecutors play tapes of Lewis "Scooter" Libby testifying before a grand jury. Libby is accused of lying to that grand jury and to the FBI about his involvement in revealing a CIA agent's identity. On the tapes, when repeatedly asked whether he talked about the agent with reporters, Libby says "no."
• Opposition Research: Know Thine Enemies
  More and more campaigns employ teams of opposition researchers. The shadowy world of "oppo" has evolved from a job for campaign interns to the realm of professionals and big money.
• House Sets Date for Iraq Protest Resolution
  Democratic leaders in the House of Representatives announce that they will bring a resolution to the floor next week voicing disapproval of President Bush's Iraq war policy. House leaders plan to give all 435 members of the House five minutes to speak their mind about the war, which will add up to three long days of debate.
• Patterns in Bush's Approach to the Federal Budget
  Midway through his second term, President Bush is presiding over a different set of national problems than those he first faced. But his approach to budgeting is still fixed on a few consistent points.
• Chinese Media Adjust to Easing of Rules
  With Beijing preparing to host the 2008 Olympics, China appeased critics by lifting restrictions on foreign journalists. The shift has emboldened domestic journalists, who are now challenging rules that limited their reporting. It has also prompted Chinese citizens to think about rights of free speech.

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