Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Radon worries drive health department's new builder program
  Minnesota has some of the strictest rules in the nation for mitigating radon gas in homes. But the state Department of Health is concerned the rules don't go far enough.3:54 p.m.
• N. Minn. residents question fire management policies
  The Pagami Creek wildfire is now 23 percent contained, permanent residents evacuated a week ago have been allowed to return, and parts of the Boundary Waters that had been closed are open again. But that doesn't mean everyone's happy.5:20 p.m.
• State audit finds lower completion rates, more dropouts among full-time online students
  A new audit shows there's been huge growth in the number of Minnesota students taking coures online. But it also raises concerns about how well those students perform in that setting, and also how the state regulates the entire venture.5:24 p.m.
• Radon worries drive health department's new builder program
  Minnesota has some of the strictest rules in the nation for mitigating radon gas in homes. But the state Department of Health is concerned the rules don't go far enough.5:50 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Obama Releases Deficit Plan
  Before heading to the United Nations meeting Monday afternoon, President Obama released his plan to get control of the federal deficit.
• Does Buffett Rule Add Up For Obama Deficit Plan?
  The president's proposal targets the superrich that billionaire investor Warren Buffett says should pay more in taxes. Buffett points out that he pays a lower rate than his secretary. Some economists argue, however, that high tax rates won't be enough to fix the deficit.
• NASA Satellite Expected To Collide With Earth
  According to NASA, a retired U.S. research satellite the size of a school bus has been sucked into the Earth's gravitational pull. The space agency expects the satellite to break into pieces on entry to the atmosphere, and for some of those pieces — some as heavy as 300 pounds — to rain down later this week. Donald Kessler, who served as NASA's senior scientist for orbital debris research, tells Michele Norris that an event of this nature is highly unusual — and odds are slim that the debris will injure people or destroy property.
• Coeds Cope With Technology-Induced Thumb Pain
  More and more of us are suffering from sore thumbs. Ergonomics experts say too much texting and typing on iPads and other tablets can cause pain in the hands, shoulders, neck and back. College students talk about coping with the strain of all their high-tech gadgets.
• Sending Your Lawyer An Email From Work?
  The American Bar Association recently introduced a new ethics opinion that advises clients about using work computers to communicate with their lawyers. The ABA says this could jeopardize confidential information. Michele Norris talks to ethics lawyer Diane Karpman from Beverly Hills, Calif.
• Afghan Parliament Still Stymied By Election Dispute
  It's been a year since Afghanistan elected a parliament. But a dispute between President Hamid Karzai and lawmakers has kept the Parliament from passing any significant laws.
• Study: Thousands Of Immigrant Women Forced Into Marriage
  A new study finds 3,000 cases of young immigrant women being forced into marriage in the U.S. Those who refuse can face threats of violence, ostracism from their families and financial repercussions that can lead to homelessness. Yet, advocates say there is very little legal recourse.
• Calif. Community Takes Action Against Sex Trafficking
  In the San Antonio neighborhood in Oakland, Calif., sex trafficking has been a problem since several motels moved into the community decades ago. In the past year, when parents and advocates realized pimps were targeting middle school girls, they started to hold rallies and marches and met with public officials and the police to stop the problem.
• This Machine Can Suck Carbon Out Of The Air
  While carbon dioxide streams into the atmosphere from tailpipes and smokestacks around the world, one man is building a machine to suck it back out. And some heavy-hitting investors are betting that it's going to work.
• In Yemen, Protesters Clash With Security Forces
  Michele Norris speaks with Erika Solomon, Gulf correspondent for Reuters, about clashes between government troops and protesters in Yemen Monday.

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