Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• First ever Hmong conference comes to St. Paul
  The first ever International Conference on Hmong Studies takes place March 10-11 at Concordia University in St. Paul.4:50 p.m.
• Pawlenty declares state "strong, hopeful and prosperous"
  In what sounded like a test of possible themes for a re-election campaign, Pawlenty said he's completed the biggest financial turnaround in state history.5:19 p.m.
• Firefighters learn to rescue and revive pets
  Firefighters are now being trained to rescue and treat cats, dogs and other pets who've been injured in fires.5:47 p.m.
• The family that plays together
  There's an old adage: the family that plays together, stays together. There's evidence to support the proverb in the local theater scene.5:50 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Iraq Tries to Rein in Renegade Police Forces
  Growing reports of police abuse prompt Iraq's Interior Ministry to set up a new unit to investigate charges of murder and other abuse by security forces. The United States is shifting resources to deal with the emerging internal crisis.
• Rumsfeld Pushes $91 Billion Defense Request
  Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld testifies before the Senate Appropriations Committee to urge approval of the Bush administration's latest emergency funding request. The Bush administration has requested $91 billion, mainly to pay for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
• Army Builds Mini New Orleans to Study Levees
  The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will release a report Friday detailing its version of how the New Orleans levees failed. As part of the study, engineers built a miniature scale model of the city at a Mississippi laboratory to simulate events of the flood.
• Internal Strife Dismantles Illinois Hate-Crimes Panel
  Five Jewish members of Illinois' hate-crimes commission have resigned in protest over another commissioner who is an official with the Nation of Islam. Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the Nation of Islam, rails against Jewish and gay people this week in front of commissioners. Chicago Public Radio's Catrin Einhorn reports.
• Letters: Silicosis, Social Conservatives, Cheek's Gift
  Michele Norris and Melissa Block read from listeners' letters and emails. This week, listeners comment on Wade Goodwyn's story about silicosis claims, Linda Wertheimer's report on social conservatives in Plant City, Florida, and Olympic medalist Joey Cheek's contribution.
• Southwest Drought Could Lead to Nasty Fire Season
  The southwest is suffering through its driest winter in decades. Arizona's mountain passes, normally covered in several feet of snow, have no snow at all this season. Wildlife is suffering, and this year's fire season could turn out to be one of the worst on record.
• Budget Crunch Pits Forests Against Schools
  The Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service plan to sell tens of thousands of acres of federal land to raise money for a program that supports small, rural schools. The plan isn't popular with environmentalists, but officials are having difficulty finding another way to support the schools.
• Canada Beats United States in World Baseball
  Canada shocks the United States with an 8-6 win Wednesday in the World Baseball Classic. The United States is now on the brink of elimination from the tournament as it heads into its final preliminary contest against South Africa.
• Latin Alternative's Big Cheese: Gustavo Santaolalla
  One of the biggest names in Latin music is not some hot young pop star, but a bearded 54-year-old producer. Gustavo Santaolalla has a reputation for guiding and producing some of the most adventurous names in Latin Alternative, and also won an Oscar this year for his Brokeback Mountain score.
• Dubai Company Bails Out on Ports Deal
  The Dubai company that was to acquire rights to manage U.S. ports announces it will transfer the rights to a U.S. entity. The deal was soundly rejected by a House committee, and Republican congressional leaders told President Bush that the deal should be scrapped.

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