Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Exposing sexual trafficking
  Governments in every part of the world encourage tourism as a way to boost their economies and improve the standard of living in their nations. But a certain percentage of tourists aren't traveling to see the sights or enjoy the weather. A conference at the University of Minnesota this weekend looks at the disturbing growth of sexual trafficking of children and how leaders in the tourism industry can help combat the problem. Tom Crann talked with one of the keynote speakers at the "United Front for Children" Conference, the head of the United Nations Children's Fund, Ann Veneman.4:44 p.m.
• State sanctioning Minnesota lawyers at record pace
  Minnesota Lawyers Professional Responsibility Board reports a record-setting pace this year for actions against attorneys.4:53 p.m.
• On Earth Day's eve, House deals blow to conservation bill
  Some environmental and sporting groups are fuming over a last-minute vote in a House committee that has left their long sought-after outdoors funding in limbo.5:19 p.m.
• Opponents unlikely to stop Twins stadium push
  The Minnesota Twins stadium bill is on course for a full House vote by the middle of next week after winning narrow approval Friday from the Taxes Committee.5:23 p.m.
• Getting late, but not too late
  A dire warning today about the current state of the Republican Party; not from Democrats, but from two key GOP strategists. Former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich and former Minnesota Congressman Vin Weber say the Bush administration has made mistakes in Iraq, Republicans have failed to reform government, and that could cause problems for GOP candidates in the November elections. Gingrich and Weber talked about the future of the conservative movement on a special Midday program broadcast from the Minnesota Public Radio Forum. The two say it's not too late for Republicans to turn the situation around. Minnesota Public Radio's Laura McCallum reports.5:48 p.m.
• The legacy of the Morrill Hall takeover
  In 1969, a group of African American students occupied a University of Minnesota building, demanding the school improve attitudes toward minorities. The 24-hour takeover helped change the shape of the U of M. This weekend the original Morrill Hall protesters are back for a conference to mark the event.5:53 p.m.
• Brauer on the sale of the Pioneer Press
  There are reports today that the Saint Paul Pioneer Press, as well as three other California papers, have been bid for by Denver-based MediaNews Group. None of the principals are confirming the details, but the bid by MediaNews is said to be $1 billion. The McClatchy Company, the owner of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, is in a deal to acquire the newspapers of Knight Ridder, including the Pioneer Press, but intends to sell off a dozen of those papers. David Brauer comments.6:20 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• At White House, Juggling Staff and a Chinese Summit
  Robert Siegel talks politics with E.J. Dionne of the Brookings Institution and Todd Lindberg of the Hoover Institution. They discuss the shuffle of jobs in the White House, President Hu's visit to the United States, and other news of the week.
• Hu Promises Human Focus, Cooperation With U.S.
  Chinese President Hu Jintao pledges that China's continued development will be "people oriented" as he wraps up his tour of the United States with a speech at Yale University. Hu and said China would continue to cooperate with the United States. At the event, hundreds of protesters shouted anti-communist slogans and complained about civil rights in China.
• Source of Classified Leak at CIA Is Fired
  The CIA has fired an employee for leaking classified intelligence to the media. Former agency officials say the information concerned alleged secret prisons in Eastern Europe. The spy agency refused to reveal the name of the person. But reports from the Associated Press identify CIA veteran Mary McCarthy.
• Mine Safety Group Hears From NASCAR Driver
  After several highly-publicized mining disasters, the mining industry pledged to reform its safety practices. In seeking help, NASCAR answered. A former NASCAR driver was invited to speak at major meeting of mine safety engineers in West Virginia.
• NBA, NHL Set to Begin Long Playoff Path
  Teams in the National Basketball Association and the National Hockey League are each entering playoff mode. Robert Siegel talks to Stefan Fatsis of The Wall Street Journal about what to expect on the ice and the courts.
• Covering the Chernobyl Crisis
  At 1:23 in the morning of April 26, 1986, there was a disastrous chain reaction in the core of Chernobyl reactor number four. NPR's Melissa Block talks with Serge Schmemann, who was a New York Times reporter in Moscow when the accident occurred.
• At Chernobyl, Building a Shelter for a Shelter
  The ruined Chernobyl nuclear facility still contains some 200 tons of radioactive fuel. A "sarcophagus" -- a steel and concrete shell built soon after the disaster to contain the radiation is increasingly unstable. Engineers plan to slide an enormous Quonset hut-shaped cover over a breached reactor.
• How the Snags in the Hu-Bush Visit Play in China
  Several gaffes characterized Thursday's meeting between President Bush and President Hu Jintao, from a vocal Falun Gong protester to a misidentification of China's governmental name. But the incidents weren't reported in the Chinese media -- partly to protect Hu's standing.
• Oil Sets New Record; Drivers Go Into Hock
  Crude oil prices hit another record Friday, at $75 a barrel. Gasoline prices are also climbing, as well. While for most Americans the rising cost of gasoline is just an annoyance, evidence suggests that some drivers are beginning to sell personal valuables just to keep their gas tanks full.
• Vintage Guitar Market Heats Up
  Thousands of guitar collectors head to Dallas for one of the biggest guitar shows of the year. Vintage Martins, Fenders and Gibsons might sell for as much as a quarter of a million dollars. The market for the guitars has been brisk, as aging baby boomers buy up classic models.
• Nepalese King Pledges Return to Democracy
  Nepal's king vows to return multiparty democracy, bowing to weeks of protests and international pressure. However, King Gyanendra fell short of a key opposition demand: creating a special constitutional assembly.
• Chernobyl Copes with Fallout, 20 Years Later
  The residents of Pripyat were evacuated after the catastropic accident at Chernobyl. Officially, they are banned from living in the exclusion zone around the plant. But some residents snuck back into the ghost town and have resisted pressure to leave ever since.
• Hamas' New Security Force Rankles Israel, PLO
  The new Hamas-led Palestinian government creates a new security force in Gaza that includes members of militant factions. The unit will be headed by the leader of a group that has attacked Israel. The office of President Mahmoud Abbas called the move "illegal and improper."
• Enigmatic CIA Puzzle 'Kryptos' May Be Flawed
  A sculptural cryptogram at the CIA's headquarters that has intrigued people for years may have flaws in its design, says its creator. For more than a decade, professional cryptologists and amateur code breakers have been trying to decipher the Kryptos sculpture.
• On the Brink, Sudan Needs Aid, Says U.N. Expert
  Countries need to step up assistance to Darfur, Sudan, or risk the situation getting much worse, says the United Nations' lead official on Humanitarian Crises. Jan Egeland says that after seeing improvements in 2005, more violence and more displacement have hurt the country.

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