Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Can humidity help prevent spread of flu virus?
  A Mayo Clinic researcher is testing the theory that controlling indoor humidity levels can help control the influenza virus in transmission hotspots like schools, hospitals, daycare centers and churches.3:20 p.m.
• Lawmakers ask VP Biden for access to gun data
  Minnesota Rep. Betty McCollum joined three other House Democrats in asking Vice President Joe Biden to support the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's ability to research gun violence.3:24 p.m.
• Runaway girls focus of Minn. fight to curb sex trafficking
  Research shows that Minnesota girls who run from their homes are not only more vulnerable to being sold for sex; they also face a higher risk of being raped or sexually exploited in other ways.3:35 p.m.
• The Cube Critics: 'Zero Dark Thirty'
  This week, Stephanie Curtis and Euan Kerr assess the hunt for the Oscars and for Osama Bin Laden, as depicted on the silver screen.3:54 p.m.
• Can humidity help prevent spread of flu virus?
  A Mayo Clinic researcher is testing the theory that controlling indoor humidity levels can help control the influenza virus in transmission hotspots like schools, hospitals, daycare centers and churches.5:20 p.m.
• Nursing homes, long-term care facilities more vulnerable to flu
  Another place where influenza can have a huge effect is in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities.5:24 p.m.
• Runaway girls focus of Minn. fight to curb sex trafficking
  Research shows that Minnesota girls who run from their homes are not only more vulnerable to being sold for sex; they also face a higher risk of being raped or sexually exploited in other ways.5:35 p.m.
• Lawmakers ask VP Biden for access to gun data
  Minnesota Rep. Betty McCollum joined three other House Democrats in asking Vice President Joe Biden to support the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's ability to research gun violence.5:49 p.m.
• The Cube Critics: 'Zero Dark Thirty'
  This week, Stephanie Curtis and Euan Kerr assess the hunt for the Oscars and for Osama Bin Laden, as depicted on the silver screen.6:24 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Obama: U.S. Forces Will Transition To Support Role In Afghanistan
  Afghan President Hamid Karzai and President Obama discussed future U.S.-Afghanistan relations and the withdrawal of U.S. forces on Friday.
• Week In Politics: Gun Policies, Obama's Second Term Cabinet
  Melissa Block talks to regular political commentators, E.J. Dionne of The Washington Post and Brookings Institution, and David Brooks of The New York Times. They discuss gun policies and President Obama's second term cabinet.
• Quiet Hybrid Cars Pose A Danger To The Blind — So What Should They Sound Like?
  The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced proposals for minimum sound requirements on hybrid and electric vehicles. They say the vehicles pose a safety issue for pedestrians and cyclists, especially for those who are visually impaired. If you have an idea for how the vehicles should sound, email it to: alltech@npr.org
• France Comes To Former Colony's Aid To Oust Radical Islamists In Mali
  French President Francois Hollande announced on Friday that France has intervened militarily in the Saharan African nation of Mali, a former French colony, to stop any further advancement of Islamist extremist forces in the north of the country.
• Despite Billions In Aid, Many Haitians Still Live In Squalid Camps
  Three years ago, a massive earthquake destroyed much of Haiti's capital city. Aid agencies from around the world pledged billions of dollars to help Haiti rebuild. But since then, many of the grand plans have fizzled, and some 350,000 Haitians still live in makeshift camps.
• Businesses Sue Government Over Birth Control Mandate
  Religious groups were among the first to object to a requirement that employers' health plans provide free birth control. But some companies have also objected, saying the mandate violates their religious freedom, too.
• Cigarette Makers Frustrated As Product Approvals Stall
  The Food and Drug Administration must review all new tobacco brands, and changes to existing ones, under a 2009 law giving the agency jurisdiction over tobacco. But the FDA has yet to approve any products under the new system, leaving some cigarette makers frustrated with the pace.
• Police: BBC Entertainer Jimmy Savile Committed More Than 200 Sex Crimes
  A British police report released Friday found the late entertainer Jimmy Savile committed more than 200 sex crimes, "unprecedented in the UK." The report summarized a three-month investigation into charges against Savile, who died in 2011.
• Superstorm Sandy Victims Resettle, Thanks To Small Town's Efforts
  A rural Connecticut town is now home to 13 families from Staten Island who lost everything after Superstorm Sandy — and more families are on the way. Locals and members of a megachurch helped build 20 mobile homes in New Milford, Conn., for the displaced families.
• Roads Melt, Gas Evaporates In Australia's Unprecedented Heat Wave
  Australia has been experiencing a record setting heat wave. Melissa Block speaks with Dr. Karl Braganza, manager of climate monitoring at the Bureau of Meteorology's National Climate Centre in Australia, about why this is happening, and how Australians are coping.

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