Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Anoka, Ramsey counties approve transit sales tax; Carver says 'no'
  The recently-enacted transportation bill raises the gas tax for all Minnesotans, and it also includes a metro-area sales tax. State lawmakers gave metro area counties the power to raise a 0.25 percent sales tax to pay for transit projects.5:20 p.m.
• Minnesota Supreme Court ranks high in influence
  A recent law review article ranks Minnesota's Supreme Court as the fifth most influential state court in the nation.5:24 p.m.
• Farmers can save on crop insurance with GMO corn
  For the first time, the federal government is endorsing a specific genetically modified crop.5:50 p.m.
• Dr. Hallberg on Twins spring training
  The 2008 Major League Baseball season is underway. The Boston Red Sox beat the Oakland A's this morning at a game in Tokyo. There are still several days before the season starts for most other teams.5:54 p.m.
• Twin Cities home prices drop by 10 percent
  Home prices in the Twin Cities dipped at a double digit rate in January, according to one of the leading measures of U.S. home prices. It's the latest sign of gloom in the housing market, but some are heralding the price drops.6:20 p.m.
• Minnesota blogger gets asteroid named after him
  It is fairly easy to find Paul Myers online. He writes the world's most popular science blog: Pharyngula.6:24 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Is the Cease-Fire with Sadr on the Brink?
  Will the Iraqi government's crackdown on militias in Basra push Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr to end the cease-fire that began in August? Peter Harling, a senior analyst with the International Crisis Group, says the Sadrists have been increasingly frustrated at being targeted by U.S. and government forces.
• States Not Subject to All Treaties, High Court Rules
  The U.S. Supreme Court delivered a major opinion on Tuesday that limits the force of many U.S. treaties and rejects President Bush's assertion that he can unilaterally order state governments to comply with treaties.
• Consumer Confidence Declines Sharply
  Consumer confidence numbers released Tuesday were down sharply. The Conference Board reports that Americans expectations for the future fell to a 35-year low. People in three cities across the country explain how personal the economic downturn is for them.
• Builders' Bankruptcies Erode Buyers' Confidence
  Demand for new homes continues to erode and one reason is that high-profile builder bankruptcies have made people anxious to sign on the dotted line. And with good reason: People are getting stuck with half-finished houses and thousands of dollars locked up in bankruptcy proceedings.
• Surrogates' Mixed Messages Frustrate Campaigns
  With surrogates playing a more prominent role in this election year than in the past, governors, senators, spouses and former staffers now speak on behalf of their candidates every day of the week, via every channel imaginable. Managing who speaks about what has become a major task for the campaigns.
• Sadrists, Iraqi Forces Clash After Crackdown
  There have been violent clashes in Basra between Iraqi security forces and Shiite militias loyal to cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. The violence threatens to end the cease-fire with Sadr that began with the surge in U.S. troops in August.
• Attorney General Argues First Supreme Court Case
  Michael Mukasey, a former federal judge, seemed comfortable in front of the nine justices Tuesday as he argued a case involving the "Millennium Bomber," Ahmed Ressam. Ressam's lawyers argued one count against him should be thrown out.
• Superdelegates Enjoy an Abundance of Attention
  Superdelegates hold the fates of the Democratic presidential candidates in their hands, so it's not surprising that some of the millions being spent on the campaigns are winding up in their hands, too.
• Networks Cope with Post-Strike Viewer Diaspora
  Scripted shows are trickling back onto network TV after the end of the Hollywood writers' strike, but ratings are down on most of the major networks. How are the networks are trying to lure viewers back from cable, reality shows, video games and the Internet?
• Does Bear Stearns Bailout Set a Bad Precedent?
  By orchestrating the survival of Bear Stearns and subsidizing its marriage with JPMorgan Chase, the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department have removed some of the loss from the profit and loss system. But without the potential for loss, is reckless risk-taking more likely?
• Letters: Rev. Wright and Gays; Long Duk Dong
  A listener corrects the record on Reverend Jeremiah Wright's support for the gay community. There's also reaction to a profile of the Sixteen Candles character, Long Duk Dong.
• Israelis Shun Al Jazeera's Arabic News Network
  Al Jazeera, the Arabic TV news network, is facing a de facto boycott from the Israeli government, which calls the network a "tool of Hamas." In turn, Al Jazeera calls the boycott anti-democratic and an affront to basic press freedoms.
• Renewed Violence Will Test Candidates on Iraq
  The withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq looms for presidential candidates as renewed violence returns the issue to the forefront this election year. Rapid withdrawals could create new dangers for U.S. troops in Iraq, but keeping troops where they are also invites criticism.
• Pessimism Is Pervasive Among Consumers
  Data released Tuesday shows that consumers are becoming more pessimistic. The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index has fallen to a five-year low. The survey also found that consumers expect conditions to get worse, not better. Another index that looks to the future, the Expectations Index, was down at a level not seen since 1973. Chris Arnold
• Boston Wants to Harness Composting Energy
  The city says a multimillion-dollar indoor composting facility would help generate electricity for 1,500 homes. Mayor Tom Menino says the composting center, which would take yard trimmings and discarded food, would help turn Boston from "Beantown to Greentown."

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