Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• How the MIA traces the ownership of old art
  Italian authorities say the Minneapolis Institute of Arts is one of eight American museums that possess illegally exported Italian artifacts. Tracing the ownership of art and artifacts is a tricky job for museums.6:50 a.m.
• Rising land prices hamper conservation efforts
  Land prices are rising across Minnesota, and that's making it more difficult to convince landowners to enroll in conservation programs.7:20 a.m.
• New European chemical rules spur change in the US
  The European Union is expected to start requiring that businesses prove their products are safe -- or they'll be taken off the shelves. American companies are gearing up for the new rules, even as they say the U.S. system works fine.7:25 a.m.
• Robotic device speeds stroke recovery
  Therapists at a Minneapolis hospital say a new device helps stroke patients restore upper body function faster and better. It's a robotic arm that assists patients with shoulder and elbow exercises.7:50 a.m.
• Chanhassen Dinner Theaters to premiere "Easter Parade."
  A theater in the Minneapolis suburbs announced a big coup this week. Chanhassen Dinner Theaters has been chosen to develop and premiere a stage version of the 1948 movie "Easter Parade."8:25 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• U.S. Military Rethinks Counterinsurgency Strategy
  The U.S. Army is trying to figure out how to deal more effectively with the insurgency in Iraq. Steve Inskeep talks with the lead author of the soon-to-be-published manual on insurgencies, retired Army Col. Conrad Crane. He's the director of the U.S. Army Military History Institute at the Army War College.
• Anne Watts and Boister: Music from Madness
  Artists can find inspiration in the unlikeliest places. Musician Anne Watts, of the band Boister, has been influenced by the time she spent volunteering in a mental institution -- and by the odd things kids say.
• Surgery Helps Kids Who Can't 'Hold It'
  Few things terrify children as much as the thought of wetting their pants at school. In Portland, Ore., pediatric neurosurgeon Monica Wehby is helping a group of children for whom this fear is a daily reality.
• Mass. Court Limits Gay Marriage to Residents
  The highest court in Massachusetts rules that, in most cases, gay and lesbian partners from out of state may not come to the state to marry. Massachusetts is the first and only state to have legalized gay marriage. But there may be an opening for some non-residents.
• Lobbyist Abramoff Sentenced, Remains Free
  Lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his partner Adam Kidan are sentenced to nearly six years in prison for committing fraud in the purchase of a gambling fleet. But they were allowed to remain free while they help a corruption investigation targeting Congress.
• Enforce Immigration Laws Already on the Books
  Commentator Steven Camarota of the Center for Immigration Studies says he doesn't support any of the measures Congress is considering on immigration. Instead, he says the U.S. should simply enforce the law it already has banning the employment of illegal immigrants.
• Senate Approves Change in Lobbying Rules
  The Senate has approved what some have called the first major change in ethics and lobbying rules in more than 25 years. But others believe the measures don't go far enough. The Senate action comes in response to the scandal involving lobbyist Jack Abramoff.
• Mexico Pushes for Immigrant Rights at Cancun Summit
  President Bush is in Cancun, meeting with leaders from Canada and Mexico to discuss trade, security and immigration issues. Mexican President Vicente Fox is pushing for the legalization of illegal immigrants in the U.S.
• Moussaoui Sentencing Jury Continues Deliberations
  The jury in the Zacarias Moussaoui sentencing trial goes into its second day of deliberations. Jurors are trying to decide whether Moussaoui is legally eligible to receive the death penalty. If the jury finds he is eligible, there will be a second phase and more testimony.
• C-Section Births Gaining Popularity
  Record numbers of American mothers are opting to give birth through C-section, even when there is no clear medical need. The National Institutes of Health held a conference to determine the risks and benefits of a pre-planned Caesarean.
• Life of Foreign Correspondent Drew Carroll to Iraq
  Colin Freeman, a reporter for the Sunday Telegraph in London, says Jill Carroll had harbored dreams of being a foreign correspondent, which is why she went to Iraq to report on the war as a freelancer. Freeman knew Carroll in Iraq and says she was able to blend in better than many other Western reporters.
• Friend Calls Jill Carroll a 'Careful Journalist'
  Steve Inskeep talks to Washington Post reporter Jackie Spinner, who is a close friend of freed journalist Jill Carroll. Spinner says that Carroll was a "careful journalist" who spoke arabic and was sensitive to the culture of Iraq.
• Lumber Trade is Canada's Priority at Cancun Summit
  Mexico's top priority with the United States is immigration, but for Canada it's a trade dispute over softwood lumber. Steve Inskeep talks to reporter Richard Reynolds about the importance of this North American summit to Canada.
• Jill Carroll Released After Nearly Three Months in Captivity
  American reporter Jill Carroll, who was kidnapped three months ago in a bloody ambush that killed her translator, was released from captivity Thursday and said she had been treated well. Renee Montagne talks with Jamie Tarabay.
• Immigration Issues Split Democratic Groups
  The Democrats seems less divided than the Republicans on the issue of immigration. But there are still divergent views among some Democratic supporters, such as blacks and labor unions.

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