Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• A call for more math and science
  When you talk to employers about Minnesota's talent pool, you hear a lot of concern. They say there aren't enough workers with math and science backgrounds to fill many of the state's newly-created knowledge jobs.4:40 p.m.
• Governors join forces to push for math and science improvements
  Improving the math and science skills of high school graduates is a priority for policymakers around the country. Gov. Pawlenty and visiting Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano discussed the issue Wednesday, and shared their thoughts with MPR's Tom Crann.4:50 p.m.
• Senate votes to permit tax dollars for stem-cell studies
  The 36-26 vote leaves the Senate short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a threatened veto by Gov. Tim Pawlenty, who has called for stricter limits on experiments using human embryos.5:20 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Castro on the Mend, But Behind the Scenes
  While he has yet to be seen in public, Fidel Castro has apparently recovered enough from his surgery in August that he is meeting with foreign dignitaries and writing editorials in the state-run newspapers. But will the Cuban leader take the reins of power again?
• Report Undercuts Effects of Educational Software
  A new report from the Department of Education says that most education software does not boost test scores. But districts that have spent large amounts of money are not ready to give up on it.
• House Votes on War-Funding Bill, Withdrawal Date
  The House is voting on a $124 billion measure to fund the war in Iraq for the rest of the fiscal year that also sets a goal for U.S. forces to be out of Iraq by next spring. President Bush has promised to veto the measure because of the timeline.
• Dow Index Pushes Past Record 13,000 Mark
  The Dow industrial average has shot past 13,000 for the first time. The market has been fairly bullish in recent months — it was just October that the Dow closed above 12,000 for the first time. The NASDAQ and S&P 500 are also in record-high territory. At the closing bell, the Dow index stood at 13,089.
• House Judiciary Panel Gives Goodling Immunity
  The House Judiciary Committee has voted for immunity from prosecution for Monica Goodling, who was the Justice Department's White House liaison and senior counselor to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Committee leaders want to know about the White House's role in the firing of eight U.S. attorneys.
• Smithsonian Plans to Charge to See Butterflies
  A plan to charge museum-goers a $5 fee to enter a portion of a Smithsonian exhibition is drawing criticism. In November, visitors who pay the fee will be allowed to walk within a butterfly pavilion. It would be the first time a permanent exhibit at the Smithsonian requires an admission fee.
• Israel Accuses Arab Politician of Helping Enemies
  The Israeli government is accusing an Arab member of the Knesset of aiding Israel's enemies and contacts with foreign agents. The charges against Azmi Bishara were revealed after Israeli authorities lifted a gag order Wednesday. Bishara has denied any wrongdoing and accused Israeli leaders of waging a racist witch hunt against him. He left Israel some weeks ago.
• Virginia Tech Gunman Fired 170 Shots, Police Say
  Virginia police provide new details about last week's shooting rampage at Virginia Tech. They said Seung-hui Cho fired 170 shots in Norris Hall, where most of the killings took place. But they still don't know why the killer chose either location, or what, if any, link there is between the two.
• Attacks Spark Fears of Taliban Defeating NATO
  In Afghanistan, the Taliban insurgency is spreading, even reaching some provinces in the north that had never been its strongholds. Last week, Taliban fighters attacked a district only 45 miles from Kabul. Afghans increasingly fear that NATO and Afghan forces will lose the war.
• Cuomo: States Will Pursue Student Loan Fiasco
  New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo told lawmakers that if the federal government doesn't step in to regulate the student loan industry, the states will. Cuomo has persuaded 4 major lenders and 16 colleges and universities to sign a code-of-conduct pact.
• Spring Is Here, but the Housing Market Lags
  Spring is a crucial time in the housing market, when mild weather allows open-house events that show off properties with gardens in bloom, and buyers are looking to find a place before summer and the school year. But this year, the housing downturn is casting a shadow over real estate's most important season.
• Group Argues Campaign-Ad Case in High Court
  The Supreme Court hears arguments in a case that challenges federal limits on campaign ads that advocate policy positions — and that also mention specific candidates. The McCain-Feingold Law forbids such ads, paid for by corporations or unions, from airing within certain periods before an election.
• Is McCain Stumbling Out of the Gate?
  Today in Portsmouth, N.H., Sen. John McCain officially announced his candidacy for the 2008 Republican presidential primary. Many observers say that McCain has not lived up to expectations built during his 2000 run and that the senator has been forced to defend an unpopular war.
• Petraeus Discusses Iraq Funds with Lawmakers
  Army Gen. David Petraeus held closed briefings with lawmakers as the House prepared to vote on the House-Senate compromise version of the Iraq war supplemental funding bill. The Senate plans to vote Thursday. President Bush has vowed to veto the bill if it reaches his desk.
• McCain Makes Presidential Bid Official
  Sen. John McCain, the once and, perhaps, future front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, has made his candidacy official, with a multi-state announcement tour. The Arizona Republican is making a stop in New Hampshire, an important primary state.

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