All Things Considered for April 26, 2007 | Minnesota Public Radio News

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Minnesota Public Radio Stories

A visit to Minneapolis North High School
A Minneapolis City Council member suggested North High be "burned down" because of poor student performance. A visit to the school tells a different story.4:48 p.m.
Flight attendants -- will the third contract be the charm?
Northwest Airlines and the union representing its flight attendants have reached yet another tentative contract deal. It's the third in the past year. The union's rank and file rejected the first two when they were put to a vote.5:19 p.m.
Amid tragedy, a place for poetry
U.S. Poet Laureate Donald Hall says literature and poetry can help people mourn and recover from tragedy. MPR's Tom Cran spoke with Hall about the topic during a visit to Minnesota this week.6:20 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

U.N. Aid Chief Tours Darfur's Refugee Camps
The new head of the U.N. World Food Program is visiting Darfur, where more than 200,000 people have been killed and millions have been displaced by fighting between African rebels and Arab militias known as janjaweed, which are backed by government troops.
U.S. Officials Look for Political Solution to Darfur
Earlier this month, Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Jendayi Frazer paid a visit to Sudan along with Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, during which the delegation met with Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir. Melissa Block talks with Frazer.
Iran's Advances Lead to Delay in U.S. Intel Estimate
Iran's recent announcement that it started producing nuclear fuel on an industrial scale has led analysts to re-examine their ideas about how soon Iran could produce a nuclear bomb. The National Intelligence Council has delayed delivery of the new National Intelligence Estimate on Iran.
America's Favorite Pastime Heads for Holy Land
Professional baseball may be coming to Israel. In a move some believe is quixotic at best, a Jewish businessman is trying to bring America's pastime to Israel. Organizers hope the new Israel Baseball League builds lasting support for the sport and offers an entertaining distraction in a land of conflict.
The Man Who Did the Mash; the Monster Mash
Bobby "Boris" Pickett, whose dead-on Boris Karloff impression propelled the Halloween anthem "Monster Mash" to the top of the charts while cementing his place as one of pop music's most enduring one-hit wonders, has died of leukemia. He was 69.
Marking a Milestone in Prostate Cancer Treatment
Twenty-five years ago, Dr. Patrick Walsh entered an operating room at Baltimore's Johns Hopkins Hospital and revolutionized the treatment for prostate cancer.
Philadelphia's Homeless Rate Rises Anew
Philadelphia has long been seen as a model city for its successful efforts to get homeless people off the streets. Much of the credit goes to a federally funded pilot project. But now the number of people sleeping on Philadelphia's streets is rising again.
Letters: Native Women, Gates and Halberstam
Melissa Block and Robert Siegel read from listeners' e-mail. We hear response to our story on the violence suffered by American Indian and Alaska native women. We also hear reactions to our interview with Melinda Gates, and praise for Scott Simon's essay on journalist and author David Halberstam.
Earl Scruggs on Country Music, and His Role in It
Melissa Block talks with banjo legend Earl Scruggs about the release of a new DVD, The Best of the Flatt & Scruggs TV Show. The famous duo pioneered television's country-variety format. Their success in what was then a new medium was instrumental in extending the popularity of country music.
Senate Vote Sends Bush an Iraq Deadline
The Senate has approved the final version of the Iraq war supplemental spending bill. The $124 billion measure is headed to President Bush, who has vowed to veto it — the legislation includes a timeline for troop withdrawal.