Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Credit card companies raising rates, even for ideal customers
  A lot of credit card companies are jacking up interest rates and fees these days for things like missing payments. Even people who've used their cards sparingly and never miss a payment are getting nailed.3:49 p.m.
• Empty jail space in Minnesota counties
  Some Minnesota counties built new jails in the past few years to cope with overcrowding. But now, there's a decline in the need for jail space.3:54 p.m.
• Recount case in the hands of the judges
  The fate of Minnesota's vacant U.S. Senate seat is now in the hands of a three-judge panel. Attorneys for both Republican Norm Coleman and Democrat Al Franken spent the day summing up why they believe they have more votes in the contested election.4:19 p.m.
• Forecasters project major Red River flooding
  The National Weather Service says there's a possibility of record flooding this spring in some Red River Valley communities.4:24 p.m.
• Meet the money man behind the Elk Run development
  When an ambitious biobusiness park was proposed for southeast Minnesota, the first question was, who will finance it? The answer is Steve Burrill, a San Francisco-based venture capitalist with Midwestern roots.4:51 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Unresolved Minn. Senate Race Irks Many
  The patience of many Minnesotans is wearing thing over the still-undecided race for the state's U.S. Senate seat. Republican incumbent Norm Coleman and Democratic challenger Al Franken are locked in a court battle that followed a recount of the November election that gave Franken a 225-vote lead.
• U.S., China United On Approach To Economy
  The United States and China are standing together when it comes to how to handle the international financial crisis. Both governments agree the top priority should be to pump more money into the world economy to boost demand. One expert says their common approach could improve prospects for a global recovery.
• Woman Trapped By Bees Recounts Experience
  Jeanie Fox of Davie, Fla., and her husband were largely trapped in their house by a huge bee colony that took up residence in the walls of their house. A bee exterminator working pro bono got rid of the hive.
• On 'Daily Show,' Stewart, Cramer Get Serious
  The running feud between Comedy Central's Jon Stewart and CNBC came to a head Thursday when the financial network's Jim Cramer appeared on Stewart's Daily Show. Cramer accepted many of Stewart's critiques but argued the network's reporters and analysts did their best to convey the news of the financial world.
• Week In Politics: Economy Dominates
  In Washington this week, the chief concern is Wall Street and the economy. E.J. Dionne of the Brookings Institution and the Washington Post and Matthew Continetti of the Weekly Standard offer their insight.
• Recovering Funds From Madoff Investors Not Easy
  Bernard Madoff's victims are still hoping to get back some of the money from his Ponzi scheme. One way to do that would be for authorities to "claw back" gains that were paid out to early investors who actually made profits investing with Madoff, but that won't be easy.
• China Sees Signs Of Economic Trouble
  The Atlantic Monthly's James Fallows writes in the latest issue of the magazine about the signs of the economic depression he sees in China. He says even in cities like Beijing, buses are rolling back into the countryside as construction projects are shuttered and factories closed.
• Letters: Sexting
  Michele Norris and Robert Siegel read another response to the story about the trend of sexting — teenagers taking nude pictures of themselves on their cell phones and sending them to others. Friday's response is from the school district that's being sued by the student featured in the piece.
• Journalist: Dow's Rise Doesn't Reflect Economy
  After a week of hectic trading and major gains, stocks were mixed Friday, but closed up. Roben Farzad, senior writer for BusinessWeek, says the spike is not a sign the economy is turning around.
• U.S. Unveils New Reason To Hold Gitmo Detainees
  The Justice Department released Friday a new rationale for holding the detainees at the Guantanamo prison camp. The statement says the detainees are being held under the law called the Authorization for the Use of Military Force, passed by Congress after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.
• Chris Brown's Assault Case Sparks Dialogue
  When the singer allegedly assaulted his girlfriend Rihanna on the streets of Los Angeles, the tabloids had a field day. But the case has also inspired a serious dialogue about domestic violence. This week, protests from outraged parents led Brown to drop out of a televised awards show.
• Seattle Newspaper Weighs Online-Only Future
  Seattle's No. 2 paper, the Post-Intelligencer, may cease publication and move to an online-only format. Hearst Corp., the paper's owners, may use Seattle and the P-I as a test case: Can an online-only newspaper make money?
• Week In Sports: March Madness
  There's no doubt March Madness has begun. In a game Thursday, the Syracuse University men's basketball team defeated the University of Connecticut in six overtimes to advance in the Big East Tournament. Sportswriter Stefan Fatsis talks about the NCAA excitement and the dark side of college basketball recruiting.
• Some Accuse Mexican Army Of Abuse In Juarez
  Thousands of troops have taken over control of Cuidad Juarez in an effort to win back the border city's streets from violent drug cartels. The surge in troops has reduced the number of drug-related executions, officials say. But human rights groups say soldiers are abusing detainees.
• In One-Man Show, Kirk Douglas Recounts Life
  At 92, film legend Kirk Douglas has returned to live theater for a one-man show that's a biography of his life and career. The last performance is Sunday at, fittingly enough, the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City, Calif.

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