Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Biography recalls Mikkelsen's days with the Minneapolis Lakers
  A new biography of Basketball Hall of Famer Vern Mikkelsen recalls his days playing alongside George Mikan and Jim Pollard with the champion Minneapolis Lakers. Read an excerpt.6:50 a.m.
• Senate candidates sharply disagree about economy
  The Republican and Democratic candidates for U.S. Senate have radically difference approaches to tackling problems facing the nation's economy. Both want the deficit reduced, but would chart different courses to get there.7:20 a.m.
• Known names run for the 8th State Senate seat
  Minnesota's 8th District state Senate seat is up for grabs this year, after DFL Sen. Becky Lourey ran unsuccessfully for Governor. Her son Tony, of Kerrick, has stepped in as the DFL candidate. But he's not the only well known name in the race. Republican Dan Stevens of Mora served 10 years in the Minnesota Senate.7:52 a.m.
• Fine arts scene holds budget gems
  You don't need a fortune to explore fine arts in the Twin Cities. With a little digging, you can find theater in bars, discount opera and free jazz.8:24 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Villages Hold Key in Fight for Control of Afghanistan
  Five years after a U.S.-led war ousted them, the Taliban have re-emerged as a threat to the new Afghanistan. Who wins will ultimately come down to who wins over the local people in villages like Panjwai.
• New Technology Adds Precision to Lasik Surgery
  Laser surgery revolutionized eyesight correction ten years ago, and as the technology improves, so do the options. Two new Lasik techniques are making it easier to customize the procedure for the needs of each patient.
• Dr. Slava Fyodorov's 'Beautiful Eyes'
  Many surgeons had tried before, but Soviet Russia's Svyatoslav Fyodorov was the first to perfect a surgical procedure that corrects nearsightedness. He had a vision: "Beautiful Eyes for Everyone." And once Gorbachev came into power, Fyodorov began exporting his surgical technique around the world.
• New York Plane Crash Scrutinized by Government
  National Transportation Safety Board investigators are in New York trying to determine what caused a small plane to crash into a high-rise apartment building in Manhattan on Wednesday. The crash killed New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle and another person, believed to be Lidle's flight instructor.
• President and Secretary of Defense Stay On-Message
  Speaking about Iraq and North Korea on Wednesday, President Bush and Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld used very similar language to describe U.S. policies. One thing that appears clear is that the U.S. plans to pursue diplomatic solutions with North Korea.
• North Korea Warns Japan on Sanctions
  North Korea has sent a warning to Japan. Pyongyang said that if the Japanese go ahead with economic sanctions, North Korea will respond with "strong measures." At the United Nations, U.S. diplomats are working to coordinate action against North Korea.
• Literature and Lullabies from the 'Axis of Evil'
  Literature from the "Axis of Evil,", gathers short stories and poems from countries that once received that label from President Bush — Iraq, North Korea and Iran. A CD picks up a similar theme, using lullabies from nations considered U.S. enemies.
• American Tied to Al-Qaida Charged with Treason
  For the first time in half a century, an American has been charged with treason. The United States charged Californian Adam Gadahn with the offense Wednesday. According to the indictment, he has appeared in several al-Qaida videos calling for violence against America.
• AIDS, Other Diseases Create Poverty Trap in Africa
  An estimated 2 million Africans die each year of AIDS, and 24 million are infected with HIV. Malaria, cholera and even polio are on the rise in Africa, all hampering social and economic development on the globe's most impoverished continent.
• U.N. Appeals to Sudan's Trading Partners over Darfur
  The U.N.'s top humanitarian official is calling on Sudan's trading partners in Asia and the Arab world to pressure the African government to accept an international peacekeeping force in Darfur. Over the past three years, some 200,000 people have been killed in the Darfur region of western Sudan.

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