Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Coleman launches re-election bid
  Republican Norm Coleman formally launched his bid for a second term in the U.S. Senate Wednesday morning from his St. Paul campaign headquarters.5:20 p.m.
• Declaration of Independence coming to Minnesota
  Minnesotans will soon get a chance to view an original copy of the Declaration of Independence from May 6-18 in St. Paul.5:25 p.m.
• NTSB examines St. Cloud's DeSoto Bridge
  Investigators from the National Transportation Safety Board were in St. Cloud today to examine the steel truss bridge that state officials closed last week after they found distortions in the bridge's gusset plates.5:47 p.m.
• Minnesota farm income soared last year
  New research indicates 2007 was the most profitable year for Minnesota farmers in more than three decades.5:51 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Clashes with Militants Test Iraqi Security Forces
  Intense negotiations are under way to end fighting between Shiite militiamen and government forces in Iraq's southern oil hub of Basra, as well as in Baghdad. The fighting, kicked off by the Iraqi prime minister's decision to go after militias in Basra, has high stakes for both Iraq and the U.S.
• Photographer Trains a 'Complicated' Lens on Teens
  Photojournalist Robin Bowman spent four years driving across the United States, photographing and interviewing more than 400 teens. Some of those pictures — and the teens' words — are included in her new book, It's Complicated: The American Teenager.
• Richard Egarr: The 'Bernstein of Early Music'
  The keyboardist delivers a historically informed performance worthy of the passion behind Handel's Organ Concertos on a new CD. Egarr possesses a remarkable gift for combining subtle musical gestures with forward–moving, irrepressible rhythms.
• Baghdad Neighborhood Reverts to Militant Stance
  U.S. troops in a predominantly Shiite neighborhood in southwest Baghdad are seeing sporadic and unusual attacks by a Sadr-backed militia against Iraqi forces. The attacks represent a turnaround for the militia, which was once working with the national police.
• Justices Weigh Definitions of Competency
  The Supreme Court heard arguments today on whether a defendant who is competent to stand trial must be considered competent to represent himself. The justices seemed doubtful that the two types of competency are the same.
• McCain Urges 'Global Compact' to Resolve Conflicts
  Disavowing unilateralism, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) clarified his foreign policy views on Wednesday, promising, if elected, to consult and work more closely with allies overseas than the Bush administration has.
• What's in a President's Name?
  An English professor says political candidates whose names follow a "strong-soft" pattern are more likely to succeed. Musical qualities are said to influence voters' choices, and "Clinton" supposedly has better musical sound than "Obama," with its middle syllable stress.
• U.S. Uneasy with Pakistan's New Direction
  Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte visits Pakistan on the day the newly-elected prime minister is sworn in to urge Pakistan to keep military pressure on Islamist militants in tribal areas. The new government wants to negotiate and use force only as a last resort.
• Elite Iraqi Task Force Probes Sensitive Crimes
  The Major Crimes Task Force is Iraq's first professional investigative agency. It takes on the politically explosive cases no one else will touch — and what some members of the U.S.-trained task force have learned has put their lives in jeopardy.
• Ad Man Behind 'Morning in America' Dies
  Hal Riney, the advertising executive most famously remembered for creating and reading the script for "It's morning in America," campaign advertisement for late President Ronald Reagan. Riney, 75, died Monday at his home in San Francisco.

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