Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Rep. McCollum supports surtax to fund Afghanistan
  Minnesota Congresswoman Betty McCollum offered few details Tuesday about proposed legislation to create a temporary surtax to fund the war in Afghanistan.5:10 p.m.
• PUC approves CenterPoint rate increase
  The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission has approved CenterPoint Energy's proposal to increase rates for its 800,000 customers around the state.5:50 p.m.
• U.N. reports progress preventing spread of HIV to newborns
  Tuesday is World AIDS Day and All Things Considered talked with a Minnesotan who is just back from the front lines of the AIDS crisis.5:54 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• U.S. Military Prepares To Move Out Of Iraq
  The U.S. military is preparing for its withdrawal from Iraq, and some equipment is already on the move. The timetable is based on President Obama's mandate to have combat troops out of the country by September, and the military's assessment on whether the country is secure enough after national elections next year.
• California Officials Target Big Marijuana Growers
  Since medical marijuana was legalized in California, the illegal side of the business has also exploded. The state is spending millions of dollars to search for and wipe out as much illegal marijuana as they can find. One special agent says the state is targeting the big growers backed by drug cartels of "all races, creeds, colors."
• Platon's Portraits of Power
  Photographer Platon saw a golden opportunity and seized it. In September, over a five-day period, The New Yorker staff photographer camped out at the United Nations and lured the world's most powerful men and women to pose for him. The result is an impressive display called Portraits of Power.
• In China, AIDS Stigma Proves Difficult To Eliminate
  China has managed to slow the spread of HIV/AIDS, but dealing with deep-rooted social stigma is proving much harder. A new report by the UNAIDS program says that 42 percent of AIDS sufferers in China have experienced discrimination because of their condition. World AIDS Day is held annually on Dec. 1 to raise awareness about the disease.
• A Kookaburra Causes Trouble 'Down Under'
  When you think of Australian music, both "The Kookaburra Song" and Men at Work's "Down Under" probably come to mind. The songs now reside at the center of a fierce intellectual-property battle raging in the country. The copyright holder of "The Kookaburra Song" says it's unlawfully sampled in "Down Under."
• Is There Gold In Them There 'Grillz'?
  Nineteen-year-old Mark Anthony Waters, of Oakland, Calif., discovered recently that all that glitters is not solid gold, especially when it comes to fitted, bedazzled tooth coverings known in hip-hop circles as "grillz."
• Obama To Outline Afghan Strategy
  President Obama announces Tuesday that he is sending 30,000 new troops to Afghanistan over the next six months, administration sources say. At a speech from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., Obama is expected to also discuss how long he thinks the U.S. mission will last.
• Cool Runnings: Jamaican Seeks Iditarod Glory
  Jamaica and Iditarod are not two things you normally hear together. But Newton Marshall of the Jamaican dogsled team aims to change that. This week, Marshall starts training with three-time Iditarod champion Lance Mackey. Mackey says people initially didn't think Marshall had a chance, but he proved everyone wrong.
• High Court Weighs Student Loan Case
  The Supreme Court on Tuesday heard the case of a young man who — finding himself in dire economic straits — declared bankruptcy on his debts, which included a student loan. Then, 17 years after a court first approved his bankruptcy, the lender contacted him and said that he still owed them money.
• Letters: Tiger Woods
  Complaints abound for our coverage of Tiger Woods on Monday. Woods announced that he would not be participating in his own golf tournament because of injuries sustained from his early morning car crash last Friday. That crash has spurred rumors about the golf champion's personal life.

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