Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Franken lead at 50; absentee ballots still must be counted
  Democratic candidate Al Franken now holds a 50-vote lead over Republican Sen. Norm Coleman with almost all of the counting in Minnesota's Senate race done. The battle now shifts to the 1.300 or so wrongly rejected absentee ballots.5:20 p.m.
• Central Corridor study says train vibration can be eliminated
  A new study commissioned by the Central Corridor light rail project office confirms what planners have been saying all along -- vibrations from the trains would affect sensitive buildings along the route, but the problem could be virtually eliminated through technology. Some are still not convinced.5:25 p.m.
• Raptor Center busy with snowy owls
  The Raptor Center at the University of Minnesota is having a busy winter. Snowy owls are among the rehab center's patients.5:54 p.m.
• Most memorable stories of 2008
  Over the course of a year, Minnesota Public Radio's reporters, producers and hosts talk to hundreds of people from all walks of life. Some make a bigger impression than others. Some stories involve a behind-the-scenes challenge. MPR journalists each selected a story or show that was the most memorable for them.6:24 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Ill. Secretary Of State Opposes Blagojevich Move
  Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White has said he objects to Gov. Rod Blagovjevich's appointment of Roland Burris to President-elect Barack Obama's former Senate seat. White offers reasons for his opposition to Blagojevich's decision.
• Economy Makes 2008 A Year To Forget
  In 2008, stocks plunged, the economy shrank, oil prices spiked, the credit markets ground to a halt and major financial institutions breathed their last. At the end of the year, financial adviser Bernie Madoff was charged with running a $50 billion Ponzi scheme.
• Ill. Ex-Gov. Weighs In On Blagojevich Decision
  Former Illinois Gov. Jim Thompson offers his insight into Gov. Rod Blagovjevich's appointment of Roland Burris to President-elect Barack Obama's former Senate seat. Burris served as Thompson's attorney general.
• Alabama County Creates Obama Holiday
  In Alabama, the Perry County Commission has voted to create Barack Obama Day. The second Monday of November will now be a county holiday. The move has galvanized the community, which lies in the heart of Alabama's Black Belt and voted overwhelmingly for Obama.
• Blagojevich Names Pick To Fill Obama Senate Seat
  Illinois Gov. has named longtime Chicago politician Roland Burris to fill the seat vacated by Barack Obama. The 71-year-old Burris is a former state attorney general and was the first black politician elected to major statewide office in Illinois. Senate Democrats say they won't seat him.
• Prisons Excluded From DTV Coupon Programs
  Prisons are excluded from legislation giving millions of dollars to television viewers for coupons to cut the cost of a converter box for digital television. TV is crucial for cash-strapped, under-staffed prisons, many of which rely on analog television sets to keep prisoners occupied.
• Recent History Of Gaza Examined
  The Islamic movement Hamas, which controls Gaza, emerged during the first intifada, which began in 1987, says Ambassador Philip Wilcox, former chief of mission and U.S. consul general in Jerusalem. Wilcox says the group grew in strength by presenting itself as a clean alternative to Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement.
• Bailout of GMAC Could Boost GM Car Sales
  The federal government is stepping up its efforts to save the auto industry by committing $6 billion to stabilize GMAC, the financing arm of General Motors. Already, GMAC is offering new deals and looser credit standards for car loans, which should help GM dealers and their customers.
• Pa. Doctor Killed In Iraq
  Friends and family are mourning the death of a prominent Pennsylvania doctor in Iraq. Maj. John Pryor served in the Army Reserve and was the head of the trauma team at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. He was killed on Christmas Day.
• Latest Economic Data Bleak
  The latest consumer confidence numbers are dismal. Add to that a bleak holiday shopping season and another month of declining housing values, and you have a country in the middle of a recession that shows no sign of letting up. Roben Farzad, senior writer for Businessweek, says the market is taking the numbers in its stride.
• In New York City, Five Banks Robbed
  Five banks were robbed Monday in New York City. Anahad O'Connor, metro and breaking-news reporter for The New York Times, says the news was "a little surreal" because last year there was fewer than one bank robbery a day in the city.
• Iraqis Assume Security Responsibilities In New Year
  The new U.S.-Iraq security pact goes into effect Jan. 1 and puts Iraqi troops legally in charge of the country's security. U.S. forces will have to abide by a new set of rules, and by June, U.S. combat troops will have to withdraw from Iraqi cities.
• Fear In Gaza As Bombings Gain Support In Israel
  Airstrikes against Gaza have continued, as has rocket fire into southern Israel. Most Israelis solidly back their government's campaign, but some ask whether the Jewish state can bomb its way to a new security situation with Gaza's Islamist rulers.
• Columbia Report Aims To Make Space Missions Safer
  NASA released a study Tuesday about the Columbia space shuttle accident that will help the space agency design better systems to protect astronauts. None of the lessons learned could have saved the crew in February 2003, however.
• Rudresh Mahanthappa: South Asian Jazz
  Alto saxophonist Rudresh Mahanthappa, son of Indian immigrants, says he didn't think about his ethnic identity growing up. But on his new album Kinsmen, he and other like-minded South Asian American jazz musicians, fuse American jazz with a global sound that embraces the music of India.

Services

• Hourly Newscast
• HD Radio
• iPhone App / Mobile
• E-mail newsletters
• RSS feeds
• Podcasts
• Submit your photos
• Videos
• Weather
• Most e-mailed stories

Become a Sponsor