Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• One year later, Delta-NWA merger sees few kinks
  It's been a year since Delta and Northwest removed the last obstacle to their merger, winning a crucial go-ahead from the U.S. Justice Department. The past year has brought a lot of changes for Northwest employees and travelers.7:20 a.m.
• Livestock farmers have last chance to get waivers
  A voluntary program to help livestock farmers comply with environmental regulations ends next year and those who haven't made the changes yet have until the end of the week to apply for a waiver. Otherwise, the agreement commits farmers to make improvements by the end of next year.7:45 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Airline CEO Says Distractions Shouldn't Color Merger
  It's been one year since Delta absorbed Northwest in the nation's largest airline merger. Integrating the two companies generally has gone well, not withstanding the incident last week, when pilots on a flight to Minneapolis became so distracted they overflew their destination. They said they were studying the airline's new crew scheduling system on their laptops.
• Expert: Wayward Flight Shows Risks Of Automation
  The case of a Northwest flight missing its destination because the pilots were on their computers raises new questions about the risks of automation. Michael Goldfarb says it's safe to fly — the problem is there's so much automation in the cockpit, crew members don't have to pay as much attention.
• Despite High-Tech Help, Marines Confront IEDs
  Roadside bombs now account for nearly three-quarters of the American deaths in Afghanistan. The Pentagon is sending more equipment to detect these hidden killers and setting up special centers to sift through intelligence information. But Marines on the ground say much of the battle is still in their hands.
• Iraq Election Delays Threaten U.S. Troop Withdrawal
  The deadlock over Iraq's election law is threatening to become a full-blown crisis. Without a deal by this weekend, Iraq will run out of time to organize an election before the government's term expires. A long delay might even trip up the pace of American troop withdrawal.
• Senate Panel Considers Reporters' Shield Law
  Most state have laws protecting journalists from having to reveal their confidential sources. But efforts to get a federal version have been stalled for years. The Senate Judiciary Committee takes up the issue Thursday. Sponsors say the Obama administration is resistant to the measure.
• King's Legacy Key In Group's Leadership Vote
  The Southern Christian Leadership Conference is choosing a new president. The two finalists are former Arkansas Judge Wendell Griffen and the Rev. Bernice King. She is the youngest daughter of Martin Luther King Jr., who co-founded the civil rights organization and was its first president.
• H-1B Visa Slots Still Open, Weak Economy Blamed
  A U.S. visa program that's critical for bringing overseas talent to Silicon Valley and Wall Street usually fills up quickly. The Wall Street Journal reports the H-1B program has many spots unfilled. Last year, all 65,000 visas were taken in one day. Nearly 20,000 spots remain open. One reason is the recession: Companies aren't hiring workers here or from abroad.
• More Travelers Take To The Skies
  Airport traffic is up for the first time in more than a year. In Nashville alone, September passenger traffic rose 3 percent after 18 straight months of declines. The change could be a sign people are feeling more confident about the economy.
• Boeing's Shift To S.C. Raises Union Ire
  Boeing says it will open a second assembly line for its long-delayed 787 jetliner in South Carolina. The company chose the site over Everett, Wash., a decision driven in large part by its desire to expand in a nonunion environment.
• FailCon: Failing Forward To Success
  Entrepreneurs gathered in Silicon Valley this week to celebrate — not the thrill of success — but the agony of defeat. At FailCon, PayPal co-founder Max Levchin talked about how he failed repeatedly before making money with the online payment company. One piece of advice: Levchin says always have a co-founder — that way you can share the credit, as well as the blame.

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