Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Are deaths from MRSA worth the hype?
  The recent hype over the the drug-resistant strain of staph infection known as MRSA started when the Journal of the American Medical Association reported that almost 19,000 people died from MRSA in the U.S. in 2005 -- that's more than the number of people who died from the AIDS that year in the U.S. Host Tom Crann talks with medical analyst Dr. Hallberg.4:40 p.m.
• Business delegate shares his observations of India
  MPR's Tom Crann talks with the head of a Minnesota information technology company about his impressions of India, and the chances of his firm doing business there.5:19 p.m.
• Is commercialization necessary for a breast cancer cure?
  Oreos sport pink "creme" filling. NASCAR fans cheer a pink car across the finish line. Store shelves are stocked with pink fondue sets and pink pinking shears. It must be Breast Cancer Awareness Month.5:23 p.m.
• Bat death has Minnesotans spooked
  Host Tom Crann talks with two bat experts about how common rabid bats are following the death of a Minnesota man from a bat bite. Assistant State Epidemiologist Richard Danilla says rabies shots are no longer terribly painful, but they're very expensive. The Bell Museum of Natural History's Jennifer Menken explains the signs of bats in your home.5:53 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Commitment to Iraqi People Drives Trio of Marines
  A detachment of three U.S. Marines is working in the Iraqi city of Diwaniyah in an effort to regain control of the southern city and the surrounding province of Qadisiyah. They all felt they had unfinished business in Iraq.
• Elderly Evacuees Face Challenges at Fire Shelter
  Among the thousands of wildfire evacuees at San Diego's Qualcomm Stadium are about 100 elderly nursing-home residents. Many have spent the past three days in wheelchairs, waiting for a time when it's safe for them to return to the nursing home.
• New 'Letters from Mississippi' Addresses Omissions
  The 1965 book documented the experiences of volunteers who registered black voters in so-called freedom schools in the summer of 1964. It was dismissed by many of the volunteers who were embarrassed that it included the experiences of white volunteers only.
• Evacuations Continue as Fire Devours Homes
  In San Diego County, more than a half-million people are under mandatory evacuation orders as wildfires continue to burn. After four days of fires, about 1,800 homes and businesses have been destroyed.
• China's First Lunar Probe Launches into Orbit
  Amid patriotic pomp and circumstance, China on Wednesday launched its first-ever lunar probe. It is expected to reach its orbit Nov. 5. The probe will spend more than a year scanning the moon's surface in preparation for the launch of an unmanned lunar vehicle in 2012.
• Bush Rallies Support for Post-Castro Democracy
  President Bush on Wednesday called for international support to help Cubans start preparing for a democratic transition, post-Fidel Castro. According to the White House, the president — in a speech to the State Department — suggested that Cuba grant property rights and allow unfettered access to the Internet.
• 'Cuban Five' of 1998 Remain in U.S. Prison
  In Havana, they're called the Cuban Five — a group of men arrested in south Florida nearly 10 years ago. Cuba says they were gathering information on Cuban-American groups known to carry out violent attacks on Cuba. The U.S. calls them spies. Cuba wants their convictions overturned.
• First Re-Election Bids Require Balancing Act
  Freshman Reps. Peter Roskam (R-IL) and Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ) talk about the challenges of raising money, campaigning in their districts and continuing their work in Washington as they head rapidly to their first re-election bid in 2008.
• Mass. Voters Weigh In on Governor's Obama Nod
  Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick has endorsed Sen. Barack Obama, whose poll numbers are falling, raising questions about his campaign. Two groups of Boston-area Democratic activists — one white, one black — are asked whether they'll follow their governor's lead.
• White House's Post-Sept. 11 Tactics Losing Steam?
  Since the attacks of Sept. 11, the Bush administration has invoked the threat of terrorism to intimidate its Democratic opponents. Recently, the tactic has not been working so well.

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