Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Somalis, Health Department at odds over autism, vaccines
  Fewer people overall are getting their children vaccinated and diseases once controlled by vaccines are making a comeback. Measles was once almost wiped out in Minnesota, but so far this year 23 cases have been reported -- a third of them among Somalis.4:44 p.m.
• Ask Dr. Hallberg: What's the truth about low-salt diets?
  The European study, published in the current issue of the Journal of the Medical Association, found that low-salt diets don't prevent high blood pressure and may even increase the risk of heart disease.4:49 p.m.
• Vikings, Ramsey County announce stadium deal
  Ramsey County officials say they have reached an agreement with the Minnesota Vikings to be the team's partner on a proposed retractable-roof stadium in Arden Hills.5:15 p.m.
• Dayton renews call for GOP to finish its budget bills
  With just 13 days left in the legislative session, the governor expresses a willingness to work with Republican leaders but expects the House and Senate resolve their spending bills.5:20 p.m.
• On stadium deal, Minneapolis could bypass referendum
  The city of Minneapolis has a measure on the books that requires residents to vote on a referendum if the city wants to spend more than $10 million on a professional sports facility. Now that a new Vikings stadium proposal is on the table, it appears the referendum requirement has no teeth.5:44 p.m.
• Author travels the ocean to launch a dialogue in Cambridge
  Cleave wants to start a discussion through his book "Little Bee." It encourages readers to consider difficult questions.6:15 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Indiana Bill Would Slash Planned Parenthood Funding
  Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, a possible Republican presidential candidate, is expected soon to sign a bill that would strip Planned Parenthood of government funding. The group says the move would prevent 22,000 Hoosier women from accessing it without paying out of pocket.
• GOP Lawmakers Push For Stricter Abortion Laws
  New Republican legislators in many states have made abortion a top priority. A new South Dakota law requires an unprecedented 72-hour waiting period before an abortion — and several states are debating bills to ban abortion at 20 weeks. But opponents are challenging the laws in court, calling them unconstitutional.
• NATO Bombs Libya; Rebels Reportedly Advance
  In Libya, there are reports that rebel forces are making advances against government troops in the western city of Misrata. Fierce fighting continues there and elsewhere. And NATO carried out more air strikes on forces loyal to Moammar Gadhafi. Melissa Block speaks with NPR's Lourdes Garcia-Navarro for more.
• 'No Way Out' For Syrian Regime, Prominent Dissident Says
  President Bashar Assad and his supporters "must accept a political change" that leads to a multi-party form of government, says writer Yassin Haj Saleh, who was kept in prison by the regime for 16 years. Syria's people, he says, will accept no less.
• Appeals Court Hears Arguments On Health Law
  In Richmond Tuesday, President Obama's health overhaul law got its first hearing before a federal appeals court. The three-judge panel actually heard arguments on two different cases decided by lower court judges last year. Robert Siegel talks to NPR's Julie Rovner for more.
• Returning To The Battlefield, With A Brain Injury
  Many soldiers leave Iraq and Afghanistan with a mild traumatic brain injury, but months or years later want to deploy again. Using combat simulations and other tests, doctors at Fort Campbell in Kentucky are testing these soldiers' readiness for a return to war.
• Inequalities Complicate S. Africa College Admissions
  As South Africa continues to struggle with the legacy of apartheid, a series of public debates about race-based college admissions has reopened a national dialogue. With a lingering educational gap between black and white, should universities use affirmative action to ensure diversity?
• Microsoft Spends Big On Skype
  Microsoft is paying a premium to acquire Internet phone company Skype. Skype still isn't profitable, but Microsoft announced Tuesday that it will pay $8.5 billion in cash to make Skype its own. Did Microsoft overpay? And how does it plan to make money on Skype?
• Jolly Boys: Aging Jamaican Troubadours Go Rock
  After 20 years, the band has released a new album of rock covers, titled Great Expectation.
• Obama Asks Congress To Pass Immigration Reform
  President Obama spoke on immigration policy in El Paso, Texas. Obama tried to reboot his effort to overhaul the immigration system. The president called on Congress to try again to pass a bill that would make the border more secure and also provide a path to citizenship for undocumented workers. Melissa Block talks to NPR's Mara Liasson for more.

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