Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Math results show racial achievement gap hasn't changed
  While a new report says Minnesota's fourth and eighth graders continue to rank highly in math skills, it also exposes a key shortcoming -- the gap between how well white students perform compared to students of color.3:55 p.m.
• Indictment brings new worries that more Somali-American men are leaving to fight
  Allegations that a 26-year-old Chanhassen man lied about a cross-country road trip with a group of friends last week have made some Somali-Americans worry that even more young Minnesota men are still trying to join the escalating warfare in their homeland.5:20 p.m.
• Math results show racial achievement gap hasn't changed
  While a new report says Minnesota's fourth and eighth graders continue to rank highly in math skills, it also exposes a key shortcoming -- the gap between how well white students perform compared to students of color.5:24 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Government Keeps Close Eye On Swine Flu Vaccine
  Public health officials are confident that the new H1N1 vaccine is safe. Still, as with any vaccine, they have systems in place to monitor vaccine recipients in order to spot any potential problems.
• Relief Efforts Stymied In Civil War-Stricken Yemen
  A civil war has raged in Yemen since August. But the government is tightly limiting coverage of the conflict. In addition, relief agencies are having a hard time getting aid to some 150,000 Yemenis who have been displaced by the fighting between northern rebels and government forces.
• After Sudan's Civil War, Where The Wild Things Are
  For more than 20 years, southern Sudan was a war zone. But the conflict was not as devastating to the animals of Boma National Park as believed. The park is teeming with wildlife, raising hopes that it could attract eco-minded tourists and create badly needed local jobs. But the area is so remote that it would take a major investment to bring creature comforts to a land of prickly acacia trees, tall grass and cattails.
• A Four-Figure Tax Break For A Four-Legged Friend?
  Rep. Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI) has sponsored a bill that would allow pet owners to deduct animal care expenses — up to $3,500 a year — from their taxes. He says the economy has forced people to give up their pets, and anything that puts cash back into Americans' hands is a good thing.
• Tales Of Suffering And Succor, Written On The Body
  As the health care debate rages on, solo theater artist Anna Deavere Smith brings her own singular perspective to the table. For her new documentary play, Let Me Down Easy, she talked to more than 300 people on three continents. Their stories became a show about "the power of the body, the cost of care and the resilience of the spirit."
• Reality TV's Thoroughly 'Modern' Mistakes
  Judges on shows like Project Runway use the word "modern" frequently — and lazily. In the world of art and design, "modern" means Kandinsky or Picasso, Schoenberg or Stravinsky — an approach and an aesthetic that signifies something that's more than merely "contemporary." Hearing "modern" tossed around on reality design shows makes modernism experts cringe.
• Dow Closes Above 10,000
  The Dow Jones industrial average closed above 10,000 points Wednesday, fueled by better-than-expected retail sales numbers and big profits at JP Morgan Chase. The bank reported third-quarter earnings of $3.6 billion, but warned that it still expects more problems with consumer loans.
• A Look Back At When Dow First Closed Above 10,000
  When the Dow Jones industrial average first closed above 10,000 points — March 29, 1999 — NATO had just begun its bombing of Yugoslavia, the dot-com doom was still booming and the X-Files reigned on television.
• Watchdog Blames Geithner For AIG Bonuses
  A government watchdog said Wednesday Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner dropped the ball on the massive bonuses at insurance giant AIG. Neil Barofsky, the special inspector general for the $700 billion financial bailout, told a House panel that "a failure of management" led to the bonuses at the firm that received billions in federal bailout money.
• Afghan Election Recount Continues
  Nearly two months after Afghans went to the polls in the country's presidential election, the outcome has still not been decided. Initial results give President Hamid Karzai a slim majority, but a recount is under way; it is widely agreed the elections were tarnished by fraud.

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