Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Explaining the Steroid Era
  The Mitchell Report on steroid use in baseball has implicated 85 past and present players. It also coined the phrase the "Steroid Era" for the past decade of of baseball. Dr. Jon Hallberg spoke with MPR's Tom Crann about the report and put some of the findings into context.4:50 p.m.
• U.S. Senate passes $286 billion farm bill
  The bill, passed on a 79-14 vote, expands subsidies for wheat, barley, oat, soybeans and several other crops and creates new grants for vegetable and fruit growers.5:24 p.m.
• Who is Mark Ritchie?
  Recent allegations against Secretary of State Mark Ritchie have highlighted an elected official that many Minnesotans barely know.5:50 p.m.
• Small size, big voice
  St. Paul songwriter and musician Mayda emerges with a big voice, big ideas and the guidance of drummer-to-the-stars and impresario Michael Bland.5:55 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Treasury Official Defends Bush's Mortgage Bailout
  Robert Steel, the Bush administration's point man on solving the subprime mortgage crisis, was behind last week's announced plan to bring together lenders and borrowers to work out voluntary agreements to avoid foreclosure. Steel says the plan will help 1,200,000 people.
• Credit Card Companies Refund Overseas Fees
  If you've traveled abroad recently, and you bought something with your credit card, you might have noticed a peculiar item in your mailbox recently. It's the result of a class-action suit that has been settled with credit card companies over foreign transaction fees they charged customers.
• Energy Bill Calls for Phasing Out Old Lightbulbs
  One provision of the Energy Bill passed by the Senate last night essentially marks the beginning of the end for the old-fashioned light bulb, with provisions that would encourage use of alternatives that use much less energy.
• Baseball's Youngsters Weigh In on Drug Use
  Youths on a baseball team in suburban Phoenix love baseball so much, they play it all year long. The kids react to the release of the George Mitchell report, which found widespread use of performance-enhancing drugs by Major League Baseball players.
• Baseball Doping Report Contains Few Surprises
  The newly-released Mitchell report shows widespread abuse of performance-enhancing drugs by baseball players. Wall Street Journal sportswriter Stefan Fatsis says the report is a fascinating summary of what we already knew about baseball — with just a few headline-grabbing bits of new information.
• Army's Officer Incentives Raise Quality Concerns
  Captains are leaving the Army in large numbers, especially West Point graduates. But the Army is having some success with large bonuses to persuade them to stay. It's also increasing its take of officers from Officer Candidate School, which takes four months compared with West Point's four years. But that practice is raising quality concerns.
• Countdown to Iowa's Caucuses, Part One
  With less than three weeks remaining before the Iowa caucuses, Republican Mike Huckabee seems to be rising, Democrat Barack Obama is accelerating, and the Hillary Clinton camp is in a panic. Political commentators E.J. Dionne and David Brooks talk about the week in presidential politics.
• Countdown to Iowa's Caucuses, Part Two
  Robert Siegel continues a political discussion with E.J. Dionne and David Brooks.
• Huckabee Talks Tough on Mortgage Bailout
  Earlier in the year, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee was near the back of the pack among Republican presidential contenders. Now, he's running second nationally. Huckabee outlines his positions on Iran, the mortgage crisis and his religious beliefs.
• Aviation Company Accused of CIA 'Torture Flights'
  Documents filed in a lawsuit being brought against aviation company Jeppesen Data Plan say it operated so-called "torture flights." The company allegedly arranged for the flights of CIA detainees to secret overseas prisons. A former employee of the company submitted the sworn court declaration.
• Traveling Back in Time for a Song
  Commentator Dean Olsher says that whenever he plays "Solace" by Scott Joplin, he's transported back to college and a girlfriend he had at the time. He's amazed at how easily music can transport him back in time.
• Conflict Steals Childhood from Many Iraqi Youths
  Young Iraqis have grown up in the shadow of war. Many have lost their parents and are now losing their childhoods, with some girls even turning to prostitution. Rhagad, 13, is still in school, but she's on the verge of giving in to the men who call out to her on the street.
• Francis Ford Coppola Seeks Answers in 'Youth'
  Francis Ford Coppola's first film in a decade is an idea-driven film based on a Romanian philosopher's delicate novella. It's about an aged academic who becomes young again when he's struck by lightning.
• 'I Am Legend' a One-Man American Metaphor
  On the surface, the sci-fi blockbuster is about Will Smith battling an army of light-phobic zombies. But NPR movie critic Bob Mondello says that the film has some serious terrorism subtext that could only be a product of post-Sept. 11 America.
• 'Mr. Ives' Christmas' a Holiday Hymn to New York
  Correspondent Ray Suarez recommends Mr. Ives' Christmas by Oscar Hijuelos — it honors a beautiful and lost New York, Christmas, and the challenge of a living faith and the redeeming power of love.

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