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

• Jesus Cosmetics Pulled from Shelves
  A Singapore retailer has pulled a line of Jesus cosmetics after receiving complaints about the American-made products branded "Lookin' Good for Jesus." They included a "virtuous vanilla" lip balm, as well as hand and body cream. Their slogan: "Get His Attention."
• Price of Stamps Going Up a Cent in May
  The cost of a first-class postage stamp is going up a penny, starting May 12. To ease the pain the Postal Service is encouraging people to buy "Forever Stamps" — stamps bought at the current price that still work when the cost goes up.
• Chavez Threat Runs Deeper Than Oil
  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has threatened to cut off oil sales to the United States if Exxon Mobil wins a court settlement that could freeze billions of dollars in Venezuelan assets.
• 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.
• TV Shows Move Full-Speed Ahead
  Members of the Writers Guild of America vote Tuesday on a proposed contract with studios. Renee Montagne talks with Carter Bays, executive producer of the CBS sitcom How I Met Your Mother, about how fast new episodes can make it to air.
• GM to Offer Buyouts to 74,000 Workers
  After reaching a deal with the Union Auto Workers Union, General Motors says it will offer buyout packages to 74,000 of its unionized hourly workers. It's the biggest buyout offer since 2006.
• St. Patrick's Day Revelries, Holy Week Collide
  St. Patrick's Day falls during Holy Week this year. The conflict was too much for bishops in Ireland, so they decided to move the feast date in honor of St Patrick, the national saint. Secular St. Patrick's celebrations, however, will continue right on schedule.
• Plan to Save D.C. Catholic Schools Controversial
  The cash-strapped Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, D.C., wants to turn seven of its inner-city schools into public charter schools. The only problem is the schools would have to relinquish their religious identity.
• Musharraf's Popularity Dives Ahead of Election
  Parliamentary elections will be held next week in Pakistan. Polls indicate President Pervez Musharraf's popularity is at an all-time low. More than 60 percent of the people surveyed don't want his party to be re-elected.
• Turbulence from United's Luggage Policy
  David Field, Americas editor for Airline Business magazine, discusses United Airline's new policy of charging an extra $25 to check a second piece of luggage.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.

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