Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Weather with Mark Seeley
  University of Minnesota Climatologist Mark Seeley discusses Minnesota weather history and looks ahead to a weekend warmup.6:50 a.m.
• Authorities question driver's record and background
  The woman driving the van that plowed into a school bus in southwestern Minnesota this week has been arrested on suspicion of criminal vehicular operation. The news came on the same day that the community of Cottonwood gathered to mourn the four children killed in the accident.7:20 a.m.
• Remembering the school bus crash victims
  The four Lakeview School students killed in Tuesday's school bus crash near Cottonwood, Minn., were Emilee Olson, brothers Hunter Javens and Jesse Javens, and Reed Stevens. Relatives and friends share memories of the children.7:25 a.m.
• Transportation bill headed to governor's desk
  Supporters and opponents of a transportation funding bill will be stepping up their lobbying efforts now that the Minnesota House and Senate have both passed it. The Senate passed the bill with enough votes to override a gubernatorial veto. The House came up one vote short.7:40 a.m.
• Oscar nominees -- are they really Minnesota's?
  This weekend, many Minnesotans watching the Oscars will root for "Juno" or "No Country for Old Men." A great deal has been made of the moviemakers' Minnesota roots. But how deep are those roots, and what would Oscar wins really mean for Minnesota?7:45 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• U.S. Ambassador to Serbia Calls Security Insufficient
  With hundreds of thousands of Serbians in the streets protesting the West's support for an independent Kosovo, the U.S. ambassador in Serbia expected the government would provide the U.S. Embassy better protection Thursday.
• Advocates Warn Against Lifting Wolf Protections
  The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced plans to take the gray wolf off the endangered species list, allowing them to be killed by hunters and ranchers. Wolf advocates argue delisting puts that population at risk.
• 'Hooligans' Said to Be Behind U.S. Embassy Attack
  Serbian journalist Dejan Anastasijevic tells Steve Inskeep the crowd at the government-sponsored rally in Belgrade on Thursday was mostly peaceful, but small groups of holligans broke off and attacked the U.S. Embassy. He says police apparently were given orders not to confront them.
• Scientists Create Coffee-Making Robot
  Scientists in Italy this week unveiled a robot barista named Justine. She's part of a European project to develop robots that can use two arms together.
• T-Mobile Wants Customers to Cut the Cord
  T-Mobile is testing a plan to allow customers to use their regular landline phones through its wireless network. Customers could then ditch their local landline service.
• Labor Issues Stall Delta, Northwest Merger
  Delta and Northwest are talking about merging, but they must wait for their pilots to hammer out a deal on union seniority should they merge into one union. The merger, if approved, would create the biggest airline in the world.
• Democrats Take Sides in Ohio
  Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are focusing on Texas and Ohio, which hold primaries March 4. An Obama supporter and a Clinton supporter in Youngstown, Ohio, illustrate what the two sides are looking for in a president.
• Mass. Law Uncovers More Uninsured Than Expected
  How to achieve universal health coverage is a major issue in this year's presidential campaign. Massachusetts has implemented a 2006 law requiring nearly every citizen to sign up for health insurance or pay a tax penalty.
• Democrats Debate Best Candidate to Replace Bush
  Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama squared off Thursday night in a mostly civil debate in Austin, Texas. The two sparred over health care, experience and talking to Raul Castro. Democratic primaries in Texas and Ohio on March 4 are veiewd as must-wins for Clinton.
• Credit Woes Seep into Student Loan Market
  The student loan market is feeling the pinch of the faltering credit market. Students still have access to loans for college, but it's costing them more to borrow. David Wessel, economics editor for The Wall Street Journal, talks to Steve Inskeep about what's in store for American students.
• Turkish Troops Enter Iraq; Cleric Extends Truce
  Turkey's military sends troops and fighter jets into northern Iraq overnight. In Baghdad, Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr announces he will order his powerful militia to continue its cease-fire for another six months.
• Opposition Parties Join over Dislike for Musharraf
  The two main opposition parties in Pakistan met Thursday and decided that their ideological differences pale in light of what they share: a deep dislike for President Pervez Musharraf. Host Steve Inskeep talks with reporter Graham Usher.
• Is McCain's Reputation at Issue?
  The New York Times says the point of an article that implied John McCain had an improper relationship with a lobbyist was about his inability to see how his behavior might look to others. His behavior in financing his campaign is also being questioned.
• Plot Tricks in 'Vantage Point' Make It Implausible
  Morning Edition and Los Angeles Times critic Kenneth Turan reviews the thriller Vantage Point. It's the story of an attempted assassination of the president told from the point of view of eight people. Turan says that it's trying to be like the classic Japanese film Rashomon, but it's more like the story of the blind men and the elephant.
• Making Peace One Person at a Time
  In Israel and the West Bank, there are dozens of organizations promoting Israeli and Palestinian cooperation on a wide range of issues. Members say they're laying the groundwork for a future Israeli and Palestinian peace deal.

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