Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Minn. utilities don't want more coal power from ND
  North Dakota, a big coal producer, wants Minnesota to drop its restrictions on electricity generated by coal. But Minnesota utilities are already conforming to those goals and say they aren't interested in more coal-based electricity.3:54 p.m.
• Conservative-backed group sues over child care union vote
  A group of 11 child care providers is filing a lawsuit Monday to try to stop a unionization vote next month.5:24 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Military's Brain-Testing Program A Debacle
  The U.S. military is spending tens of millions of dollars to test every service member's brain to find out who suffered a traumatic brain injury during the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. But an investigation by NPR and ProPublica has found that military leaders are refusing to carry out the testing program.
• Baker Discusses New Smart Meters
  Smart electric meters are being installed in homes across the country. The wireless devices replace old meters and transmit electricity usage data wirelessly to utilities. But there are concerns about accuracy and safety. Guy Raz talks to David Baker, energy reporter at the San Francisco Chronicle, for more.
• Warmth In Winter: Smart Windows To Let Heat In
  Windows treated with an insulating film are twice as efficient as regular double-pane windows, since they block heat from entering a building. That's useful on warm days, but inefficient when it's cold. One lab is researching a new coating that could be turned on and off with an electrical current.
• Judge Scraps Citigroup Deal
  A federal judge nixed a $285 million settlement agreement between Citigroup and the Securities and Exchange Commission involving a major financial case. U.S. District Court Judge Jed Rakoff said the proposed agreement is "neither far, no reasonable, nor adequate, nor in the public interest." Under the deal, Citi would have settled charges that it misled investors in mortgage debt prior to the collapse of the housing market. Rakoff has been a persistent critic of the SEC's oversight of Wall Street. Guy Raz talks to NPR's Jim Zarroli for more.
• Local Governments File Suits Against MERS
  In the mid-'90s, the big banks set up the Mortgage Electronic Registration System, or MERS, to track mortgages as they're traded by investors in mortgage-backed securities. It's a system set up to let banks skip the process of paying recurring filing fees at county courthouses each time a mortgage was bought or sold. Now, many cash-strapped local governments, big and small, are filing lawsuits against MERS. Politicians contend their communities are owed millions of dollars.
• Vote Marks DRC's Second Democratic Election
  Millions of voters go to the polls in the Democratic Republic of Congo Monday in only the second election in its history. The mood in the country is tense. The current president Joseph Kabila is deeply unpopular, but many in Congo believe he will go to any lengths to hold onto power. Melissa Block talks to NPR's Ofeibea Quist-Arcton.
• A Look At The Cult Of Tim Tebow
  Guy Raz talks to Howard Bryant, senior writer for ESPN.com and ESPN the magazine, about the cult of Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow.
• Controversial Film Director Ken Russell Dies At 84
  The edgy, experimental director of Tommy, Altered States and the Oscar-winning Women in Love brought a spirit of glamour and flamboyance to British cinema.
• No Major Violence During Egyptian Elections
  Egyptian voters in Cairo, Alexandria and several other major cities are voting Monday in the first stage of the country's parliamentary election. Turn out is heavy and so far there has been no major violence. Melissa Block talks to NPR's Lourdes Garcia-Navarro.
• In Egypt's Vote, Islamists Expect Strong Showing
  The Muslim Brotherhood was founded in Egypt more than 80 years ago and is a presence in dozens of Muslim countries. Then-President Hosni Mubarak outlawed the group, but it is now legal and competing openly in the country's parliamentary elections.

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