Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Art Hounds
  Each week Minnesota Public Radio News asks three people from the Minnesota arts scene to be "Art Hounds." Their job is to step outside their own work and hunt down something exciting that's going on in local arts.4:44 p.m.
• White House Asian carp director hopeful for solution
  The man President Barack Obama has charged with managing the Asian carp threat is hearing criticism that the government is not moving fast enough to prevent the invasive fish from infiltrating the Great Lakes.4:49 p.m.
• How 'Biutiful' started with a voice in a director's head
  Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's film "Biutiful" opens in the Twin Cities this weekend, and is in the running for two top Oscars.4:54 p.m.
• Senate takes $930M whack at Minn. budget shortfall
  Republicans in the Minnesota Senate passed a bill Thursday that would cut nearly $1 billion in state spending. Based on the debate, Democrats intend to force Republicans to account for every dollar they cut.5:20 p.m.
• Federal funds for Central Corridor '99.9%' certain
  The federal government has tentatively agreed to pay for half the nearly $1 billion Central Corridor light-rail line, bringing the project one step closer to securing all of the necessary cash for completion, regional planners say.5:24 p.m.
• Voter ID bill stirs debate in committee hearing
  Two bills that would require Minnesotans to show a photo ID before they can vote got their first formal airings at the Capitol Thursday. A House panel heard advocates say it would be a basic protection against vote fraud. But others said it would keep people away from the polls.5:50 p.m.
• The Cube Critics talk movies
  MPR's Movie Maven Stephanie Curtis and film buff Euan Kerr sit in cubicles across from each other in the MPR newsroom. When they banter back and forth, it's usually about movies, and it's usually quite interesting.6:25 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Religious Groups Tackle An X-Rated Secret
  More than 300 churches are expected to mark Feb. 6 as National Porn Sunday, showing worshippers a video sermon that features current and former NFL players talking about their struggle with pornography. According to the leader of a Christian ministry, pornography is the elephant in the pews.
• Protesters, Loyalists Clash As Chaos Intensifies
  In Cairo's Tahrir Square on Thursday, anti-government protesters faced off for a second day against supporters of President Mubarak. The protesters say gangs of Mubarak supporters have been organized by the government. Mubarak denied that Thursday in an interview with ABC News, but he said he was troubled by the violence. For the latest, host Robert Siegel speaks to NPR's Eric Westervelt.
• Saudis Transfixed By Protests In Egypt
  In a country where most people don't watch the news because most political decisions are made for them, Saudis are transfixed by the demonstrations in Egypt. People debate it in evening salons; children ask their parents what it all means. This is unprecedented in the kingdom. According to analysts in the region, no matter what happens in Egypt, the region will never be the same, and leaders have to quickly come up with policies that address popular grievances.
• Obama Touts Clean Energy As Jobs Booster
  President Obama held another green jobs event, this one in central Pennsylvania. By making buildings more energy efficient, he says, businesses could save money on their heat and electric bills — money they could then use to hire more workers.
• Obama Discusses Faith At National Prayer Breakfast
  Hosts Robert Siegel and Michele Norris tell us about Thursday's National Prayer Breakfast in Washington. President Obama spoke about his faith at the annual event. Mark Kelly — the husband of Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords — also attended.
• Dallas Policy May Drive Some Taxis Off The Road
  Independent cab drivers are protesting a new city policy that allows natural gas cab drivers to cut in front of regular gas cab drivers at Dallas' city-owned airport. Regular gas cabbies say they can't afford to convert their cabs, and argue the policy has cut their pay in half. The protests continue as the Super Bowl comes to town.
• National Guard Aids Mom-To-Be During Blizzard
  The blizzard that struck the Midwest this week left many people stranded in their homes, but not all of them were rescued by the National Guard. That is what happened to Cynthia Reece of Warrensburg, Mo., when she went into labor. With her husband away, 5-foot-tall snowdrifts blocking the road to her house, and ambulances unable to reach her, the National Guard — using a six-wheeled military vehicle built for the desert — got her to the hospital in time to deliver her very first child. Host Michele Norris speaks to Cynthia Reece and Staff Sgt. William Stewart about the adventure.
• As Violence Grows In Egypt, U.S. Influence Shrinks
  The Obama administration is distancing itself further from Hosni Mubarak, a longtime U.S. ally. U.S. officials have been calling on the Egyptian government to rein in pro-Mubarak thugs, who have been battling with anti-government protesters and even going after foreign journalists. As the violence intensifies, the U.S. has found itself with little influence.
• Getting Out Of Egypt: 1 Woman's Evacuation Story
  As the unrest in Egypt has grown, the U.S. State Department has been urging Americans to leave Egypt. Host Michele Norris talks to Laura Murphy, director of the Washington Legislative Office of the ACLU, who was in Egypt last week on vacation. Murphy talks about her evacuation experience.
• Groups Skip Conservative Gathering Over Gay Sponsor
  GOProud, a group that represents gay conservatives, is on the list of co-sponsors for this year's Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC. Now Liberty Counsel and other groups that focus on social issues are boycotting the event.

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