Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Minnesota Orchestra records Holocaust oratorio
  The Minnesota Orchestra is spending three days this week recording St. Paul composer Stephen Paulus's Holocaust memorial oratorio, "To Be Certain of the Dawn." The work received its premiere in 2005 on the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Nazi concentration camps.6:50 a.m.
• Democrats promise fast start to session
  DFL legislative leaders are promising a quick start to the 2008 session with hopes of passing legislation that will kick-start the economy.7:20 a.m.
• A quiet legislative session expected on K-12 education
  K-12 education funding is mostly in a holding pattern after an infusion of cash in 2007.7:25 a.m.
• Looking for a Valentine's Day gift? Wash the dishes
  Valentine's Day is just a couple of days away, and if you have someone special in mind, you may be fretting over what kind of gift can live up to the marketing hype. Commentator Peter Smith has some thoughts on what kinds of gifts loved ones truly appreciate.7:55 a.m.
• Cashing in on global warming
  Thousands of farmers, and a few cities are earning money from climate change. They're trading on the carbon market.8:25 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Al-Qaida in Iraq Diary Reveals Setbacks
  The U.S. military says a leader of al-Qaida in Iraq wrote in his diary that the movement is "in crisis." Soldiers found the diary during a raid of an al Qaida safe house last November. U.S. officials say the anxiety expressed suggests that the militant movement has lost its standing among many Iraqis.
• A Classical Treasure Trove at YouTube
  Legendary musicians such as Arturo Toscanini, Maria Callas and Jascha Heifetz might be gone, but their performances are still alive, thanks to YouTube. Commentator Miles Hoffman considers the popular Web site a treasure trove for fans of classical music.
• Memoir: Bhutto Knew of Dangers in Her Return
  Benazir Bhutto made the last few edits on Reconciliation, her final book, on the morning that she was assassinated. In that book — part political manifesto, part memoir — Bhutto wrote that she was prepared for the worst upon her return to Pakistan from exile.
• Mormons Confront Negative Ideas About Their Faith
  Mitt Romney's campaign for the Republican presidential nomination triggered unprecedented attention to his Mormon faith. But it wasn't the kind of attention that the church expected. Now, polls show that the faith's image is more negative than Mormons previously thought.
• Leader of India's Lowest Rung Reaches for the Top
  Mayawati Kumari is the chief minister of one of India's largest and poorest states. She's also the richest woman in India and one of the best known. Now there's talk about her possibly becoming the country's next prime minister.
• Germany Deals with New Smoking Regulations
  Until recently, Germany was one of Western Europe's last bastions for smokers. But now, that's changed. Germany's federal states have been introducing wide-ranging smoking bans, and they're not sitting well with many.
• Battle Pits Solar Energy Against Trees
  A homeowner in San Francisco asked his neighbor to chop down his redwood trees because their shadow is interfering with his solar panels. The neighbor refused. The feud has ended up in court, and the results could have ramifications statewide.
• Warming Spurs Action from Spanish Winemakers
  In the vineyards of the Penedes Valley, makers of the sparkling wine known as "cava" are taking steps to address the effects of climate change on their product. They are adding nutrients to the soil, using satellites to monitor vineyard conditions and trying new grape varieties.
• Black Day for BlackBerry
  BlackBerry's e-mail service crashed for several hours Monday, affecting many of the 12 million customers who own the handheld gadgets. It's the second outage in less than a year. Analysts say the problems could damage BlackBerry's reputation for reliability and give an edge to rivals.
• Many Struggling Homeowners Still Not Getting Help
  Most people at risk of home foreclosure aren't getting any kind of help, according to a group of state prosecutors and banking regulators. The mortgage industry has pledged to work with homeowners falling behind on their payments, but often borrowers and lenders never connect.

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