Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Women's poetry collected in new book
  Poetry readers in Duluth are celebrating the appearance of a new book. It's a collection of poems by Minnesota women, going all the way back to pioneer days. It's called "To Sing Along the Way."4:49 p.m.
• Ellison votes for Iraq spending bill
  Ellison, an anti-war lawmaker, has called for an immediate withdrawal of troops from Iraq. But the Minnesota Democrat described the bill as the best chance to end the war.5:19 p.m.
• Senate OKs gas tax hike, sets up showdown with Pawlenty
  Democrats in the Minnesota Senate have made their position clear on the need for a large state investment into roads, bridges and transit. They passed a transportation funding bill Friday that includes a 10-cent per gallon gas tax increase, setting up a showdown with Gov. Pawlenty.5:24 p.m.
• Tubby Smith: "I feel the love already"
  New University of Minnesota men's basketball coach Tubby Smith got a standing ovation at Williams Arena Friday afternoon, in his first official meeting with fans and the media. High expectations are riding on Smith's shoulders.5:49 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• A Spouse with Incurable, but Treatable Disease
  John and Elizabeth Edwards have announced that Elizabeth's cancer, first diagnosed in 2004, has reoccurred. That story hits close to home for people whose spouses have struggled with a disease that is incurable but treatable.
• Iraq Deadline and the Democratic Congress
  This week, House Democrats gathered up the votes to confront President Bush with a deadline on pulling U.S. troops out of Iraq. The timeline is part of an Iraq funding bill that barely passed the House by a vote of 218-212.
• Saratoga Spa Soaks Visitors, 'N.Y. Post' Says
  An historic New York Spa is in hot water over revelations that its famous mineral baths are diluted with local tap water. Saratoga Springs has drawn visitors for generations, but The New York Post says the cool mineral water is being mixed with hot tap water to make the baths more comfortable.
• MLB, DirecTV Contemplate Exclusive TV Deal
  In a proposed deal believed to be worth $700 million over seven years, Major League Baseball may make DirecTV the exclusive carrier of its full-season television package, shutting out the cable companies.
• Jamaican Police: Cricket Coach Was Murdered
  The death of Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer, one day after heavily favored Pakistan lost to Ireland in the Cricket World Cup, is being investigated as a homicide, Jamaican police say. Woolmer, 58, who died Sunday, is believed to have been strangled in his hotel room.
• Iran's Women on the Pitch: 'Offside'
  Iranian director Jafar Panahi's movie Offside is a comedy about young Iranian women trying against long odds to get into a packed soccer stadium.
• Critics Urge Zimbabwe's Mugabe to Step Down
  Zimbabwe's government and party are in disarray and can no longer govern effectively, say President Robert Mugabe's critics, who include U.S. Ambassador Christopher Dell. Growing numbers within both the country and his own government want Mugabe to quit, citing soaring inflation and unemployment.
• Iranian Navy Detains British Sailors in Persian Gulf
  The Iranian navy detained 15 British sailors and marines today, in disputed waters in the Persian Gulf. The British defense ministry says the troops were seized and held at gunpoint after inspecting a cargo ship.
• Using Web, Phone to Get Info on Poisoned Pet Food
  A batch of pet food that killed 16 animals was tainted with rat poison, investigators say. The news about the pet food company, Menu Foods, has worried dog and cat owners across the country. The company set up a toll free hotline. But when many customers got busy signals, they turned to the Web.
• Large Public Defense Case Strains Ga. System
  The public defender system in Georgia is running short of money — because of one huge case. The defense of Brian Nichols, charged with killing four people after breaking out of a courthouse two years ago, has cost $1.4 million dollars so far — and it hasn't gone to trial yet.
• IRS Urges E-Filing — But by Vendors Only, Please
  The IRS recommends that taxpayers file electronically — e-filing saves the government time and money, and is more accurate than IRS employees who type in the data from paper returns. But the IRS refuses to set up its own Web portal to receive the filings. Critics call it the work of tax-industry lobbyists.
• Don't Let IRS Form Fool You: Tax Breaks Are There
  This year, new or one-time tax breaks are available that many people qualify for. But they don't appear on the printed forms many taxpayers use, making them easy to be overlooked. Robert Siegel talks with Kevin McCormally of Kiplinger's Personal Finance.
• Interior's Griles Pleads Guilty in Abramoff Case
  Former Deputy Secretary of the Interior Steven Griles admits to charges of obstructing justice and lying to Senate investigators about his ties to convicted lobbyist Abramoff. In a plea deal, prosecutors have agreed to seek no more than 10 months' confinement for Griles when he is sentence in June.
• House Approves August 2008 Deadline on Iraq
  The House of Representatives votes to impose an Aug. 31, 2008, deadline for withdrawing all American combat troops from Iraq. In a 218-212 vote, Democrats attached the deadline to legislation authorizing more than $124 billion in emergency funds.
• Democratic Candidates Head to Nevada
  The Democratic presidential candidates are all heading to Nevada to talk about health care this weekend. The forum is sponsored by the Service Workers Union, a critical voting bloc in this important early state.

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