Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Delta-NWA merger moves ahead while state leaders weigh the impact of consolidation
  The unions representing pilots at Northwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines have reportedly reached an agreement to consolidate the two work groups, according to an online report in the Detroit News on Tuesday.7:20 a.m.
• Xcel Energy fires up new High Bridge plant
  Things are literally heating up at Xcel Energy's new High Bridge generating plant in St. Paul. The company has started the final steps to bring the new plant online, sending billowing clouds of steam over the Mississippi River.7:25 a.m.
• Northwest moves closer to a merger
  The pilots unions at Northwest and Delta Airlines have reportedly come to an agreement on how to consolidate if the two companies merge. An agreement would help clear the way for a merger. Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer talked with Minnesota Public Radio's Marty Moylan.7:50 a.m.
• Monday Markets with Chris Farrell
  Minnesota Public Radio's chief economics correspondent Chris Farrell discusses trouble in the banking industry and other economic news.8:25 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Tales of Animal Survival
  A cat disappeared after a house fire in Albuquerque, N.M. Weeks later, the cat turned up at an animal shelter 240 miles away in Colorado. The owners of a steer in Michigan want to sell it for promotional purposes instead of for beef. It has a spot on its side in the shape of Michigan.
• Era Coming to an End in Cuba
  Fidel Castro announced his resignation overnight in a letter online. The news won't be a shock to many Cubans, who are used to the idea that he is about to retire. The dictator has been sidelined due to illness for the past 18 months. The BBC's Cuba correspondent, Michael Voss, talks about the news.
• Musharraf's Party Takes Pounding in Election
  Pakistanis dealt a crushing blow to President Pervez Musharraf in parliamentary elections Monday, raising questions about the future of the U.S. ally in the war on terror. Early returns indicate that the opposition parties of Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif have won enough to command a majority.
• Russians Skeptical of Presidential Candidate
  In Russia, there's a man running for president that most people have never heard of: Andrei Bogdanov is the head of the little-known Democratic Party. Many believe he is secretly backed by the Kremlin as a token candidate to create the appearance of a democratic election.
• Cuban Leader 'Stood by His Convictions'
  Cubans woke up Tuesday to news that Fidel Castro is stepping down as president and commander in chief. The announcement came overnight in a letter published online. In the letter, he tells Cubans his only wish "is to fight as a soldier in the battle of ideas."
• Path from Senate to Presidency Not Easy
  Whoever wins the White House in November will almost certainly come from the ranks of the Senate. It will be the first time that's happened since John F. Kennedy in 1960. Historian Robert Dallek talks about the often difficult path from the Senate to the presidency.
• Many Donors Give to Positions, Not Candidates
  Some donors funnel money to independent organizations rather than a candidate because there are no restrictions on the amount of money they can give. Steve Weissman of George Washington University's Campaign Finance Institute explains.
• Castro Says Resignation Is Not 'Farewell'
  A presidential transition is apparently underway in Cuba. Fidel Castro, who has already given up power temporarily because of illness, says he will do so permanently.
• Mister Rogers Still Asking Kids to Be His Neighbor
  Tuesday marks the 40th anniversary of the first nationwide broadcast of the PBS classic, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. Fred Rogers died in 2003 but the show continues to air.
• Pakistan's Opposition Parties Headed for Victory
  Early results show the two largest opposition political parties in Pakistan headed for an election victory after voters rejected the ruling party of President Pervez Musharraf. Husain Haqqani, director of Boston University's Center for International Relations, talks about the results.
• Stricter Rules a 'Reality Check' for Navy Students
  The new superintendent of the Naval Academy has restricted extracurricular activities, increased study hours and made all midshipmen eat together in an effort to improve leadership training. The midshipmen initially grumbled about the rules, but now many recognize the need to refocus.
• Turkey Bolsters Cigarette Company's Profits
  Altria, the company formerly known as Philip Morris, is separating its shrinking U.S. cigarette operation from its growing international cigarette business. Profits are coming in from countries like Turkey, where as many as 60 percent of adult men smoke.
• Dow Shakes Things Up
  Managers of the Dow Jones Industrial Average are dropping Honeywell and Altria and replacing them with Bank of America and Chevron. Knight Kiplinger, editor-in-chief of Kiplinger's Personal Finance magazine, discusses the change.
• As Bush and Democrats Spar, Spy Law Lapses
  A temporary version of the law allowing intelligence agencies to conduct surveillance of terrorism suspects without a warrant expired Saturday. A key sticking point is whether to grant retroactive immunity to telecom companies that cooperate with the government.
• Pettitte Apologizes for Using Hormones
  New York Yankees' pitcher Andy Pettitte held a news conference on Monday where he apologized for using human growth hormone in 2002 and 2004. The All Star said he wasn't hiding any other drug use.

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