Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• High-tech camera will take crop photos from space
  When the Space Shuttle Endeavour blasts off just before 7 p.m. Friday night, it will be carrying a powerful camera that's designed to help farmers in the upper midwest.4:45 p.m.
• Minn. board may act on voided absentee ballots
  The head of a key board in Minnesota's unsettled Senate election says the panel might hear a dispute over whether to reconsider some rejected absentee ballots.5:15 p.m.
• Safety board faults design flaws in bridge
  The National Transportation Safety Board has closed its investigation into the I-35W bridge collapse. The board ruled that the gusset plates on the bridge were not designed properly and also found that MnDOT had not adequately overseen the bridge's design.5:20 p.m.
• Sheriff Fletcher stands by actions during RNC
  Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher was a controversial figure during the Republican National Convention in St. Paul. Fletcher's critics call him a cowboy who seeks the limelight, but he says he's just concerned about public safety.5:50 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Changing Perspectives On Race, Politics In York, Pa.
  In a final conversation about race and the election, a diverse group of voters in York, Pa., divulge how their views have shifted since Barack Obama's election. They also discuss questions about this new chapter in American politics.
• Book Gives 'New York Times' Take On Historic Times
  The New York Times has released an anthology of the front pages since its first edition in 1851. Executive Editor Bill Keller tells NPR what his favorite pages are — and why he's attached to the printed paper.
• Iraq's Drama: An Easier Sell On The Stage?
  Iraq-war movies always seem to flop: Stop Loss, Redacted, Rendition, In the Valley of Elah — all were box-office disappointments. But several plays about Iraq have been hits. Why does Iraq work on stage but not on screen?
• On Craigslist, Inauguration Fever Spikes D.C. Rents
  With hotels sold out across Washington for the inaugural festivities, many Washingtonians are offering up their homes for rent on Craigslist. The Web site might be the place to find a cheap futon, but not Jan. 20 rentals.
• FDIC, Treasury At Odds Over Use Of Bailout Money
  The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. has laid out the details of its $25 billion plan to fight foreclosures. The Treasury Department is still opposed, however, to using the bailout funds for the plan. It's not clear that Congress is ready to force Treasury's hand.
• Investor Sees Riches While Others See Toxicity
  Barry Silbert sees the potential for profit in toxic assets. He wants to use his company, SecondMarket, as a place where would-be buyers and sellers can get together to settle on a price for collateralized debt obligations and all those other hard-to-value asset-backed securities.
• Ex-Envoy: Keep U.S. Troops In Iraq Until 2011
  Rend Al-Rahim, executive director of the Iraq Foundation, says Iraqi politicians are more comfortable with a longer timeframe for U.S. troop withdrawals than the plan proposed by President-elect Barack Obama. She says a timeline that has troops leaving in 2011 is more feasible.
• Persian Gulf States Feel Effects Of Downturn
  The booming Emirates of Dubai and Abu Dhabi are still filled with the sound of construction, but there are signs the vaunted Gulf economy isn't as financially bulletproof as some had predicted. Analysts say oil-producing Gulf states will not be able to ignore the global downturn.
• FSU Defensive Back Rolle Balances Sports, Books
  Pre-med student Myron Rolle had the unusual choice of either playing in a big game next Saturday or attending the final interviews for a Rhodes scholarship. He talks about balancing sports and academics.
• Week In Sports Reviewed
  Sportswriter Stefan Fatsis talks about the college football season. Alabama and Texas Tech are strong candidates for the championship game, and president-elect Barack Obama has weighed in about the faults of the Bowl Championship Series rankings.

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