Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• New players lead Twins past Hunter and the Angels
  The Minnesota Twins won their home opener at the Metrodome beating the Los Angeles Angels 3-2.6:40 a.m.
• Fighting the VHS fish virus
  Minnesota officials stepping up efforts against VHS fish disease.7:20 a.m.
• Teacher donates $1.8 million to help loons
  A schoolteacher has left $1.8 million from her estate for the protection of Minnesota's state bird. Iva Weir left the money to the Nature Conservancy in Minnesota for preservation of the loon's habitat. Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer talked with Chris Weir-Koetter, Weir's niece.7:25 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Japan Crowns 16-Year-Old Pen-Spinning Champ
  They're better at figure skating. They're better with computers. And here's another activity where kids are king: pen-spinning. That's the art of flicking a pen from finger to finger, tossing it in the air, bouncing it off your thumb. A 16-year-old Japanese student became his nation's pen-spinning champion.
• U.S. Companies Scramble for Foreign Worker Visas
  The federal government on Tuesday begins accepting H-1B visa applications. The government grants 65,000 visas by a lottery system — mostly to technology companies so they can hire highly skilled workers from outside the U.S. Last year, it received more than double that number in applications — on the first day.
• U.S. Farmers Plan to Cut Corn, Boost Soy, Wheat
  The agriculture commodities markets have recently experienced historic levels of volatility. The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Monday released its plantings report, which outlines what farmers intend to grow this year. The news has implications beyond the trading floor.
• Cell Phone Inventor Envisioned Wireless World
  Thirty-five years ago, Martin Cooper invented the cell phone, a device that has transformed communication. He says people thought he was "crazy" to talk about phones in people's pockets. But Cooper's dreams were actually bigger, and he's a little disappointed that more progress hasn't been made.
• It Pays to Fly U.K. Airline Flybe This Week
  In an effort to increase its passenger numbers, low-cost U.K. airline Flybe is paying people about $75 to fly from Dublin, Ireland, to Norwich, England. The carrier is even throwing in free drinks and in-flight entertainment. Flybe risks a hefty penalty from Norwich airport if it doesn't make its passenger-number targets.
• Europe's Biggest Banks Forecast Huge Losses
  Europe's biggest banks are revealing more damage from the risky assets they piled on when times were good. As those assets go sour, Germany's biggest bank, Deutsche Bank, says it expects to lose about $4 billion this quarter. The losses were much bigger for Switzerland's largest bank, UBS.
• Economic Proposals Abound in Congress
  Congress is back in session this week after time spent back home talking with constituents. The result is a number of proposals and plans from both parties to try to help beleaguered homeowners. But how would it work, and who is going to foot the bill?
• EPA Issues New Rules to Contain Toxic Lead Paint
  Keeping the indoor climate cleaner and safer is the point of a new rule: The EPA will require contractors to take more steps to contain toxic lead paint. When contractors work on older houses, or at child care centers and schools, they'll have to certify that their staff are trained to handle lead paint.
• A Contradiction from Pelosi on the Democratic Race?
  Steve Inskeep and NPR News Analyst Juan Williams talk about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's comments on the Democratic race. She says the Democratic candidates have the right to fight right up to the party's convention in August, but she also suggests that a prolonged fight could harm the party's chances in November.
• Mexico Helps Migrants Expelled from U.S. Get Home
  The Mexican government is taking steps to provide transportation for Mexicans returning home after being turned away from the United States. U.S. authorities often take them to the border and drop them off — which leaves them with the problem of getting the rest of the way home.
• Democrats Target Undecided Superdelegates
  Democratic presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are campaigning hard these days for the votes — of superdelegates. More than 300 superdelegates to the party's convention have not yet publicly committed to either candidate.
• Economy, War Top Agenda as Congress Returns
  Congress is back to work on Capitol Hill, and lawmakers have a busy agenda filled with plans to address the housing crisis and make another attempt to force a change in direction in the Iraq war.
• 'Pretty' Chronicles Drastic Steps to Prevent Cancer
  Jessica Queller was a young writer working on a hit TV show in Los Angeles when her beautiful, vibrant mother died — of ovarian cancer. After Queller tested positive for the breast cancer gene mutation, she had a prophylactic double mastectomy — and chronicled her experience in the book Pretty Is What Changes.
• Northrop Grumman CEO Defends Air Force Deal
  The Air Force awarded one of its largest-ever contracts in February to Northrop Grumman and its European partner, EADS. Then controversy erupted. Now Boeing is trying to get the Government Accountability Office to overturn the contract. Northrop's CEO says Boeing's complaints are unfounded.
• HUD Resignation a Chance to Fix Housing Crisis?
  The Bush administration's top housing official announced his resignation Monday. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson says much has been accomplished during his tenure, but critics say they hope the change will bring about policies that will help solve the housing crisis.

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