Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Legislative session comes a cropper in wave of vetoes
  It would be an understatement to say that Gov. Pawlenty and Democrats in the Legislature aren't on the same page at this point in the session. Pawlenty has vetoed his fourth budget bill in less than a week and the Legislature seems intent on challenging him again and again.7:20 a.m.
• Higher ed bill goes to Pawlenty for yet another veto
  The Minnesota House and Senate approved a $3.2 billion higher education funding bill that now goes on to face Gov. Pawlenty's veto. Pawlenty calls it uninspiring and devoid of any reform, while DFLers say it makes up for Pawlenty's underfunding over the past several years.7:25 a.m.
• Losses mount on Gunflint Trail
  The Ham Lake fire is still burning, four days after it started, and with no end in sight. The fire didn't get a lot bigger on Tuesday, but in the afternoon, an intense area of flame and smoke kept people from visiting their homes and cabins in the burned area. The number of structures lost to the fire now stands about about 40.7:44 a.m.
• "Everything's gone"
  Dozens of anxious cabin owners are waiting for the Ham Lake fire to die down so they can head back to their property, and see how their homes in the woods have faired. One cabin owner is biding her time at a resort along the Gunflint Trail.7:49 a.m.
• Star Tribune columnist talks about the shakeup
  Big changes are looming for workers at the Minneapolis Star Tribune newspaper. The newsroom alone will likely lose as many as 50 employees. In the reorganization, many of the editors, reporters and columnists will have to decide if they will stay and move on to new assignments within the company.8:20 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Chinese Restaurant Workers Protest Low Wages
  Chinese restaurant workers are protesting their low wages by picketing some restaurants in New York's Chinatown. Some workers say they were fined by their bosses for infractions such as not entering meal orders into the computer quickly enough.
• FBI Pins Fort Dix Plot on 'Homegrown' Terrorists
  The six foreign-born men accused of a plot to attack the Army base at Fort Dix, N.J., led seemingly ordinary American lives in Cherry Hill, N.J., the FBI says. But a copy of a video shows them firing assault weapons and praising jihad.
• Iran's Neighbor Dubai a Place of Intrigue
  The lavish resorts and business climate of the Persian Gulf city of Dubai have always attracted investors and tourists from around the world. Now the city is a center of intrigue because of its proximity to Iran.
• Video Diaries Give Glimpse of Daily Life in Baghdad
  An Iraqi production company is distributing video diaries on the Internet by three young men in Baghdad. They chronicle their daily lives, fears, frustration, anger and just normal day-to-day existence in a broken city.
• American Scholar Held in Iran
  A U.S. scholar held in Iran is the subject of diplomatic talks. Iran native Haleh Esfandiari is affiliated with the Woodrow Wilson Center in Washington, D.C. When her passports were stolen on a recent visit to Iran, she was jailed as a spy.
• Democrats Try New Approach to War Funding
  Members of the House are working on a bill that would give President Bush funds for the Iraq war while imposing controls on how it is paid out to the Pentagon. The Democrats are offering $30 billion now, to cover two months. Republicans don't like the plan.
• Challenges Face First-Generation Students
  First-generation college students deal with numerous challenges due to their status as the first in their families to seek higher education. A support group at a Missouri community college helps students who may not find encouragement at home.
• Cheney Makes Surprise Trip to Iraq
  The vice president visits Baghdad to pressure the Iraqi government to set aside factional squabbling and move ahead on resolving issues that sharply divide the country and fuel the ongoing sectarian conflict.
• Airport Workers Nab Runaway Wallaby
  Roxy Bell says a wallaby that escaped its airplane kennel during a layover did NOT kick its way out. "I just don't want them to get a bad reputation. You know, 'Mean kangaroo gets out,"' she said. "They're not mean. They're very tame." Airport workers recaptured the wallaby — a kangaroo cousin — after about five minutes of freedom. He's now safely home in South Dakota and answers to a new name: Tarmac.
• Baseball Struggles to Address Alcohol Problems
  Alcohol has long been associated with big-league ball. Are effective changes coming?
• Ear-Popping Spiders, Flying Fire Ants
  Bees may be dying, as we've reported. But other insects are doing fine. An Oregon kid complained of popping in his ear — "like Rice Krispies," he said. Doctors discovered two spiders. And on a United Airlines flight from Washington, D.C., to Portland, Ore., fire ants emerged from an overhead compartment just before takeoff. A passenger says everybody switched to another plane, leaving the ants with no frequent-flier miles.
• Bid to Develop Indian Slum Draws Opposition
  One of India's most squalid slums sits on extremely valuable property. The government has a plan to let private developers build projects for the rich in exchange for free housing, schools and health clinics for the poor. But many long-time residents oppose the plan.
• Patron of D.C. Madam Accused of Hypocrisy
  Randall Tobias' name popped up on the telephone list of a woman charged with running a call-girl ring in Washington, forcing the State Department official to resign. While he denied paying for sex, his involvement in the scandal received more attention in part because of his role in enforcing laws against prostitution.
• Fuel-Efficiency Bill Clears Senate Panel
  A Senate committee is backing a bill to set fuel-efficiency standards for cars and trucks at 35 miles per gallon by 2020. The current level is 25 mpg. It's one of several measures moving through Congress that seek to cut oil imports and reduce emissions of global-warming gases. Some Republican senators called the plan unfair to Detroit's Big Three automakers, who depend on sales of less efficient SUVs and pick-ups. The full Senate considers the bill next month.
• L.A. Fires Force Evacuation of Park, Zoo
  A fire in the hills above Los Angeles forces the evacuation of the city's largest park and zoo. But firefighters managed to hold off the flames and save a number of homes that were threatened near historic Griffith Park.

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