Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Walz hears farm bill ideas
  Southwest Minnesota farmers told 1st District Congressman Tim Walz Wednesday what they'd like to see in the next farm bill. Among the suggestions: cap federal subsidy payments to the largest farms.5:20 p.m.
• Environmental and arts spending tangled up again
  Some outdoor groups are worried that arts funding provisions in a proposed constitutional amendment will derail the proposal with voters.5:24 p.m.
• It's still winter in northern Minnesota
  MPR Meteorologist Paul Huttner is spending this week at the Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center near Finland, Minnesota. Students from a number of Minnesota schools are there learning about the outdoors and the science behind Paul's favorite subject -- the weather.5:48 p.m.
• Upon further review, Senate pay bump stands
  Minnesota senators voted Wednesday to stick with a $30 a day increase in expense allowances, dismissing concerns by some lawmakers that the pay bump was too generous.5:51 p.m.
• Somalis anticipate AU force replacement for Ethiopian withdrawal
  The United Nations' Security Council has unanimously approved an African Union force to help stabilize Somalia. Somalis living in Minnesota are watching the situation in their homeland carefully.5:53 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• On Ash Wednesday, Religion and Joy
  On this Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent and a period of fasting, Father James Martin reminds us that joy is one of the upsides of being religious, although it's not mentioned nearly enough among the faithful.
• Colorado River's Low Water Has Far-Reaching Effect
  Water levels are so low on the Colorado River that Lake Mead, the huge reservoir created by Hoover Dam, is at a 40-year low. Marinas are having to move long distances to find deep water for their boat slips. A new report from the National Research Council says it's likely to get worse.
• FBI Investigates Possible Letter Bomber Case
  The FBI is investigating a case with echoes of the Unabomber, who sent bombs through the mail for more than 15 years. Two package bombs have been sent to financial-services companies in the Midwest in recent weeks. The bombs weren't wired to explode. But investigators worry the next one may be.
• Rice, Diplomats Discuss Palestinians in Berlin Talks
  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice meets with would-be Middle East peacemakers to discuss how to deal with Palestinian's new unity government. The unity agreement, which doesn't force Hamas to recognize Israel, has been strongly criticized by the United States.
• NATO's Afghan Trade School Underscores Challenge
  The official opening of a Western-built trade school in the southern Afghan province of Uruzgan this past weekend is part of NATO's "hearts and mind" campaign. But even with the base's fortifications, local officials say the students who attend aren't safe and are in danger of being killed by the Taliban.
• U.S., Iran Differ on Nuclear Talks as Deadline Passes
  A pending report from the United Nations' nuclear agency is likely to confirm that Iran is speeding up the construction of an industrial-scale uranium-enrichment facility. The U.S. is insisting that Iran suspend uranium enrichment as a precondition to direct negotiations. Iran's president has said negotiations are possible — but with no preconditions.
• Lonesome Lucinda Williams Heads 'West'
  Grammy-winning singer and songwriter Lucinda Williams has released her eighth CD, West. The collaboration with producer Hal Willner is mostly a meditation on the death of Williams' mother, and the end of a turbulent love affair.
• Italy's Prime Minister Resigns over Foreign Policy
  Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi's government resigned today, after being defeated on a key foreign policy motion in the Senate. Prodi angered the left-wing with his support for committing Italian troops to Afghanistan and the expansion of a U.S. military base in Italy.
• Illinois Malpractice Case May Shape Tort Reform
  An Illinois baby who suffered brain damage during delivery is at the center of a battle over tort reform. The state is one of several to limit certain damage awards in medical malpractice suits. The family's attorneys call the Illinois law unconstitutional.
• Telemarketing Industry Adjusts to No-Call List
  Since the government's Do Not Call Registry was created, telemarketers have been thwarted in their efforts to reach out to millions of Americans. For an update on what the impact of the that list has meant for direct marketers, Robert Siegel talks with Jim Conway, vice president of government relations for the Direct Marketing Association.
• Ash Wednesday Means Services, and Business
  It's Ash Wednesday, and some may wonder: Where does all that ash come from? Many parishes save palms from Palm Sunday in preparation. But in recent years, churches have begun supplementing their ash stocks by ordering from a commercial supplier.
• British Withdrawal Plan Draws Mixed Reactions
  British Prime Minister Tony Blair has announced the start of a phased withdrawal of British troops from southern Iraq. And British soldiers would begin to withdraw from the country entirely if security conditions allow, Blair said. His plan calls for 1,600 personnel to leave by the end of 2007.
• Fed Up: Man Sues Telemarketers, and Wins
  Last year, Andre-Tascha Lamme began getting phone calls from mortgage companies — as many as 15 a week. Citing a 1991 law, he hauled the most persistent callers to small-claims court, and set up a Web site to teach others how to do the same.
• Baseball Finally Gets a Cap — A Polyester One
  Major League Baseball's opening day is just weeks away, and there is a uniform change in the works. It's nothing major, but players will be wearing a new type of cap. Gone will be the traditional old wool cap — in its place, a polyester blend, aimed at keeping sweat off the brows and out of the eyes of players.
• Best Buy Is Latest to Jump Into Chinese Market
  Best Buy announced today it will open at least 20 stores in China, following the opening of its first store there in December of last year. Best Buy joins a host of American companies already doing business in China, such as Wal-mart, Home Depot, and KFC. Robert Siegel and Melissa Block read some facts and figures about Uncle Sam's presence in China.

Services

• Hourly Newscast
• HD Radio
• iPhone App / Mobile
• E-mail newsletters
• RSS feeds
• Podcasts
• Submit your photos
• Videos
• Weather
• Most e-mailed stories

Become a Sponsor