Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Two more people die from flu
  Two more flu-related deaths have been reported in Minnesota -- one a Minneapolis firefighter, and the other a child in Duluth.5:18 p.m.
• Travelers drops the "St. Paul." Will it drop the other shoe?
  The St. Paul Travelers Companies expects to drop "St. Paul" from its name. The name change is a move that many saw coming, and is rekindling speculation that the firm might move its headquarters from St. Paul to Connecticut.5:21 p.m.
• Top Minneapolis cop in the 4th precinct brings hands-on approach to job
  Inspector Lee Edwards runs the 4th precinct, one of the toughest jobs on the Minneapolis police force.6:47 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Panel Recommends No Child Left Behind Changes
  An independent panel led by Tommy Thompson is scheduled to release its recommendations for strengthening the No Child Left Behind Act.
• Disease Hits Bees, and Vital Crops Suffer
  Commercially important bees in the U.S. are being ravaged by an unfamiliar new disease. It's raising fears that certain crops will go unpollinated this year. Beekeepers in 22 states have lost up to 80 colonies to the fast-spreading malady that experts are calling "colony collapse syndrome."
• The Novel Behind a Turkish Controversy
  The Bastard of Istanbul, a novel by Elif Shafak, straddles two families — one in modern Istanbul, the other in modern America. Last year, a Turkish court charged Shafak with denigrating Turkishness, for a remark made by one of the characters in her novel.
• The Art of Negotiating With Pyongyang
  Robert Siegel talks with Ashton Carter, co-director of the Preventive Defense Project at the Kennedy School at Harvard University. Carter served as Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Policy during President Clinton's first term. During that time, he oversaw negotiations with North Korea over their nuclear program.
• House Hears Members' Views on Iraq Resolution
  The House of Representatives begins debate on a Democratic resolution objecting to President Bush's proposed troop buildup in Iraq. Many Republicans say they aren't being permitted to offer amendments, but a considerable number in the party still plan to vote in favor of the resolution.
• Romney Announces His Candidacy for 2008
  Speaking at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich., former Massachusetts Gov. Republican Mitt Romney announces his candidacy for the 2008 presidential race. He introduced himself as a political outsider with the managerial skills necessary to fix a flawed government.
• Remembering Softball's Flame-Throwing King
  Softball pitcher Eddie Feigner struck out more than 140,000 batters in his career. The man who could throw a softball more than 100 miles per hour died last week at 81. Robert Siegel talks with his widow, and former teammate, Anne Marie Feigner.
• Libby and Cheney Won't Take Stand in Leak Case
  In the Lewis Libby perjury trial, neither the defendant nor his former boss, Vice President Cheney, will take the witness stand, according to Libby's lawyer, who plans to rest his defense without testimony from either man.
• Cookbook Author Explains Mysteries of Chocolate
  Just in time for Valentine's Day, cookbook author Dorie Greenspan offers her advice on baking with chocolate, a notoriously finicky ingredient. She explains how chocolates are like wines, and shares ideas for using all that sweet stuff.
• Truth in Ordering: Menus Pull a Bait-and-Switch
  According to news accounts, a state DNA lab in Florida found that some of the fish being served as grouper isn't grouper at all, but a cheaper fish. Greg Houghaboom, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration agent who investigates marine resource violations, discusses the trend.
• In D.C., Top Iranian Chef Hails From El Salvador
  Hispanic cooks can be found in many of America's restaurants. But it still surprises Washington, D.C., diners that the city's best chef for Iranian food is a Salvadoran. Juan, who goes by Johnny, says he worked his way up in the industry, learned a foreign cuisine and made it his own.
• Bomb Attacks Unsettle Lebanon on Eve of Rally
  In Lebanon, two buses filled with commuters were destroyed by explosions in a Christian village northeast of Beirut. At least three people were killed and 20 wounded in the attack. The strike sent tensions soaring on the eve of the second anniversary of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri's assassination.
• North Korea Plan Has Two Stages, and Doubters
  North Korea has agreed to abandon its nuclear weapons programs in two phases: First, it will shut down its main nuclear plant, readmit international inspectors and receive energy aid. Next, Pyongyang is to declare and disable all its nuclear weapons programs, and get even more energy aid.
• Bank Defends Credit Cards for Illegal Immigrants
  Bank of America is now issuing credit cards to customers who don't have Social Security numbers. The bank acknowledges that many of the target customers are illegal immigrants, but it defends the program.
• At Arizona Snowbowl, a Battle Over Fake Snow
  As its snowfall diminishes each year, the Arizona Snowbowl, north of Flagstaff, is stuck in a long-running dispute with a local Indian tribe over whether the skiing facility can begin making snow. The tribe says that the ski area is on a sacred Indian mountain, and that snowmaking would harm the environment.

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