Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Defense opens its case in Cottonwood bus crash
  The defense began presenting its case today in the trial of Olga Franco, who's accused of killing four students by crashing a minivan into a school bus last February near Cottonwood.5:20 p.m.
• Are we seeing another round of 'stagflation?'
  Rising prices for food and gas, combined with a weak economy, are prompting a comparison to the "stagflation" of the 1970s and early 1980s.5:23 p.m.
• Sendoffs for two Minnesota Guard units headed to Iraq
  Ceremonies were held today for two Minnesota National Guard units heading to Iraq -- one in Oklahoma, the other in St. Paul.5:50 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Why K2 Is Deadlier Than Mount Everest
  Eleven people are feared dead on K2, the world's second-highest mountain. Two Dutch climbers have been rescued by helicopter, while an Italian awaits evacuation. Professional mountaineer Ed Viesturs explains what makes K2 more treacherous than Mount Everest.
• Camp Offers Kids A Chance To Play With Fire
  Software engineer Gever Tulley felt that his friends who were parents were overprotective of their children. So he started the Tinkering School, a summer camp that encourages kids to play with fire, throw spears and take risks.
• Vt. Town's Residents Remember Solzhenitsyn
  Residents of Cavendish, Vt., offer their recollections of Russian novelist and Nobel prize-winner Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, who died over the weekend. Solzhenitsyn settled in the town after being deported from the Soviet Union.
• Jury Deliberates In Hamdan Case
  A jury of six military officers that is deliberating the case of Salim Hamdan, one of Osama bin Laden's drivers, has recessed for the day. Hamdan is charged with conspiracy and supporting terrorism. The defense says he was just a driver. The prosecution paints him as an al-Qaida foot soldier.
• Book Examines Case Against Bin Laden's Driver
  Writer Jonathan Mahler is the author of the new book, The Challenge: Hamdan v. Rumsfeld and the Fight over Presidential Power. He says Osama bin Laden's message, as well having a purpose and earning good money appealed to Salim Hamdan, an uneducated Yemeni.
• Mexico's HIV/AIDS Patients Seek U.S. Asylum
  Many Mexican immigrants with HIV/AIDS say their country still has a repressive, sometimes brutal way of dealing with those afflicted with the virus. As a result, HIV/AIDS patients in Mexico are seeking — and getting — political asylum in the U.S.
• Science Used In Anthrax Probe Still Uncertain
  Investigators apparently used a DNA fingerprint to link anthrax used in the 2001 attacks to the lab where scientist Bruce Ivins worked. But the science surrounding this technique is far less certain than the DNA fingerprints that have become routine in criminal trials.
• Brett Favre Saga Tires Many Fans
  The NFL has officially reinstated quarterback Brett Favre. The story of Favre's retirement, un-retirement and cell-phone tampering has taken so many twists that even dedicated football fans think it may not be worth following.
• Calif. Teen Is Olympic Medal Hopeful
  One of the best U.S. prospects for a gold medal in diving is 15-year-old Haley Ishimatsu. She's 4 feet 9 inches tall and 83 pounds. Isimatsu is being mentored by potential Olympic teammate and U.S. diving legend Laura Wilkinson.
• Diplomacy With Iran Spurs Concern In Israel
  Time is running out for Iran to respond to a proposal by the West that offers a freeze on new U.N. sanctions if Tehran agrees to halt any expansion of its nuclear work. In Israel, the new diplomatic push is being met with skepticism and concern.
• Obama Aims To Tap Oil Reserve To Curb Gas Prices
  Sen. Barack Obama has proposed that the government sell 70 million barrels of oil from its strategic petroleum reserve to help reduce gasoline prices. He has previously opposed such a move. John McCain, meanwhile, again has called for offshore drilling.
• Organic Farming Takes Root In China
  Like many Americans, a small but growing number of Chinese are worried about what's in their food and how it's grown. The farm of a stockbroker-turned-organic-farmer is an example of how some people are taking the problem into their own hands.
• Farm Animals Take On Distinct Personalities
  Commentator Julie Zickefoose says cattle wrangle on a farm — and each animal takes a different approach, based on its temperament.
• Candidates Mum On Gay Marriage Debate
  Both Barack Obama and John McCain have said little about gay marriage from the campaign trail, releasing only written statements when the California Supreme Court legalized it. For both, the topic is risky territory, where they have as much to lose as to gain.
• Charlotte A. Cavatica: Bloodthirsty, Wise And True
  She's a spider's spider — sophisticated, pretty (by her own account), authoritarian — and she says something profound about love and commitment. Melissa Block looks at the heroine of Charlotte's Web.

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