Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Boy returns home after U of M treatment for rare skin disease
  A young boy with a rare skin disease returned home to Alabama Sunday after undergoing an experimental stem cell transplant at the University of Minnesota in September. Payton Thornton is not cured yet. But his blistered skin has recovered so much that he is able to run, jump and even wrestle with his brothers.3:48 p.m.
• One year after Seward shootings, pain is still evident
  Six days into 2010, Minneapolis witnessed three murders on a single night in a grocery store. Three men who had fled the violence of their native East Africa were shot to death at Seward Market and Halal Meat. The families of the three men say the first anniversary of their deaths is dredging up memories of that night.3:53 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Pondering A 'Plan B' In Afghanistan
  How many U.S. troops leave Afghanistan in 2011 will depend on what progress is made in the next six months. If it's underwhelming, there may be calls to change the current strategy. Alternatives that focus on counterterrorism rather than counterinsurgency are already in the making.
• Youssou N'Dour: The Voice Of Senegal
  Ever since he burst onto the scene in Dakar, Senegal, in the early 1970s at age 12, Youssou N'Dour has been a sensation -- a musical chameleon capable of a seductive whisper or a siren's cry.
• What David Beckham Has To Do With Spain's Boom And Bust
  Four Madrid skyscrapers say a lot about the fate of David Beckham, Spain's economic boom, and the real estate bust that could lead to the European Union's biggest bailout yet.
• Buke And Gass: Handcrafted Instruments, Throttling Sound
  Buke and Gass' joyful metal-meets-prog-rock sound and handcrafted sensibility are the product of both ingenuity and experimentation. The duo plays homemade gear, including the modified baritone ukulele ("buke") and the guitar-bass hybrid ("gass") that inspired its name.
• New Fronts In The War Against Al-Qaida
  Afghanistan and Pakistan are the primary fronts in the war against al-Qaida. But there are other hot spots that concern the U.S., including Yemen, Somalia and the Maghreb. NPR's Robert Siegel talks to Ben Venzke, CEO of IntelCenter, a counterterrorism contractor, about these other regions of concern.
• Nuclear Waste Cleanup At N.Y. Site Nears Completion
  For six years, workers processed nuclear waste at a plant outside Buffalo. In its short life, the West Valley Demonstration Project polluted soil, air and water, and may have sickened employees. Four decades later, hundreds of cleanup workers are still at the site decontaminating buildings that will eventually be torn down. Now, workers are preparing to install a massive underground wall designed to stop the spread of a radioactive plume that threatens the region's groundwater. As the West Valley cleanup nears completion, reporter Daniel Robison looks at an environmental disaster that led to a new understanding of how to deal with nuclear waste.
• A Look Back At A Decade In Tech
  NPR's Robert Siegel talks to Xeni Jardin, co-editor of the technology-culture blog BoingBoing.net, for a look back to the year 2000. Jardin highlights three of the big tech stories that year, brings us up to date, and takes a look at what's in store for the future.
• Russian Oil Tycoon Khodorkovsky Convicted Again
  Imprisoned former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky has been convicted on embezzlement and money laundering charges in Russia. Khodorkovsky was once the richest man in Russia, and was nearing the end of an eight-year sentence for tax evasion. For more, NPR's Robert Siegel speaks to David Hoffman, author of the book The Oligarchs: Wealth and Power in the New Russia.
• Legal Questions Linger After 'Don't Ask' Repeal
  Lawyers who represent discharged and current gay and lesbian troops are preparing several challenges. Some service members discharged under "don't ask, don't tell" are seeking retirement benefits and severance pay.
• Strategic Eating Tips For The Holidays
  When it comes to that holiday buffet, you want to make sure not to overdo it -- but also not to miss out on the good stuff. Serious eaters need a strategy. NPR's Dina Temple-Raston recently went to New York's annual Taste event, and she went with her game face on.

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