Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Report: Medical errors linked to 12 deaths in 12 months in Minnesota
  The most common mistakes included finishing surgeries without removing all surgical tools, operating on the wrong body part and letting serious complications develop from bed sores.5:19 p.m.
• Too many teams?
  Minneapolis and St. Paul have more pro sports teams than they can handle, according to a new study from bizjournals.com, which calls the Twin Cities "over-extended" in its ability to support its professional teams. All Things Considered host Tom Crann talked with G. Scott Thomas, who conducted the analysis.5:48 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Cheney Breaks Silence About Hunting Accident
  Vice President Dick Cheney tells Fox News that he accepts responsibility for the hunting accident that injured another hunter. He also says he doesn't regret waiting to acknowledge the incident. It is the first time Cheney has spoken publicly about the shooting, which happened Saturday.
• Austrian Wins Gold in Women's Downhill Skiing
  Michaela Dorfmeister of Austria wins the women's downhill Wednesday at the Winter Olympics, adding a gold medal to her distinguished career. U.S. skier Lindsey Kildow comes in eighth, a notable finish after the violent spill she took during a training run earlier in the week.
• Attorney General Reviews First Year, New Priorities
  One year ago, Alberto Gonzales became attorney general of the United States. Wednesday morning, he gave a speech to mark the occasion. Gonzales speaks with NPR about the successes of the past year and his priorities for the year ahead.
• Searching the Web Behind the Great Firewall of China
  As well-known tech firms face criticism from Congress, Robert Siegel and China correspondent Anthony Kuhn in Beijing compare results from search engines in the United States and China. A search using Google, Google China and Yahoo shows how different the Web search experience is for a user in China.
• Bull Terrier Takes Best in Show at Westminster
  A bull terrier named Rocky Top's Sundance Kid (aka "Rufus") takes top prize Tuesday night at the Westminster Dog Show in New York. David Frei, director of communications at the Westminster Kennel Club, and Kathy Kirk, Rufus' handler, talk to Robert Siegel about this year's Super Bowl of dog shows.
• L.A. Officials Hope Transfer of Inmates Will Stop Riots
  Race riots in Los Angeles County jails have left two inmates dead, and authorities can't stop the riots or keep gang leaders from communicating with jailed followers. Authorities hope to end the violence by transferring inmates from riot-heavy jails to an underutilized jail in downtown Los Angeles.
• Lawmakers Rip Web Firms for Cooperation in China
  Executives from four U.S. Internet companies get a chilly reception Wednesday on Capitol Hill as members of Congress accuse them of helping China oppress internal dissent. But the companies say their operations in China would foster freedom there, not squelch it.
• Fame Catches Up With Felicity Huffman
  After a long acting career, Felicity Huffman has received an Oscar nomination for her lead role in the film Transamerica. She also stars in the hit television show Desperate Housewives. Huffman talks with Michele Norris about femininity and motherhood.
• House Report Cites Failures on Katrina Response
  House Republican investigators release a harsh report listing hundreds of mistakes and misjudgments in the government's response to Hurricane Katrina. The report, called "A Failure of Initiative," follows a five-month inquiry, and places blame at all levels of government.
• A Push to Finish the Road to Nowhere
  In 1943, the government promised to build a highway through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park -- in part to provide access to some old cemeteries there. But the highway was never finished, and there's disagreement about whether it should be now.
• Tougher Anti-Terrorism Law Passes in Britain
  British Prime Minister Tony Blair wins a key vote Wednesday to bolster anti-terrorism laws in Britain. The bill was presented to Parliament after the July 7 bomb attacks in London. Despite fierce criticism, the law passes by 38 votes, making "glorification" of terrorism a criminal offense.
• Panel Looks Into Secret Military Unit
  A House Subcommittee holds a hearing on Able Danger, a secret military unit that identified hijacker Mohammad Atta more than a dozen times before the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks. Rep. Curt Weldon (R-PA) says Able Danger detected a problem in Yemen two weeks before al Qaeda attacked the USS Cole.
• Oil Companies Take Heat for Royalty Exemptions
  Democrats are fuming after this week's New York Times report that oil companies will not pay royalties on tens of billions of dollars worth of oil taken from federal waters in the Gulf of Mexico. Critics call it a "sweetheart deal" but the break on royalties has a long history.
• Rice Faces Senate Questions on Middle East
  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice testifies Wednesday before a Senate panel and is grilled by Democrats and Republicans about policies in Iraq, Iran and the Palestinian territories. The annual briefing informs Congress on State Department priorities and budget.
• Excess Carbon Dioxide Makes Plants 'Sweat' Less
  Scientists say more carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere may be influencing plants in an unexpected way. More carbon dioxide makes plants grow faster but it also makes them transpire -- or sweat -- less. The result could be extra water running into rivers and oceans.

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