Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• What is brown fat?
  Fat. We all have it to some degree and we have more types of it than you might have thought. Dr. Jon Hallberg has been reading three international studies on brown fat and he discussed with ATC about what is so vexing about this issue.4:44 p.m.
• Phone calls from missing Somalis send mixed messages
  When the first group of young Somali men disappeared from Minneapolis back in 2007, they weren't on the FBI's radar yet. In phone calls back to their Minnesota friends, they appeared homesick and disillusioned.5:20 p.m.
• Minnesota men who joined 'jihad' in Somalia
  A visual timeline of the ongoing story of missing Somali men from Minnesota. The young men are suspected of being recruited and sent to fight in Somalia for terrorist organization Al-Shabaab.5:28 p.m.
• Minneapolis police chief defends actions in fatal shooting
  Minneapolis Police Chief Tim Dolan says the lawyers representing the family of Fong Lee are trying their case against the police department in the media. So Dolan is using the media to refute some key allegations.5:50 p.m.
• PUC hears arguments on 600 miles of high voltage power lines
  Opponents of the CapX2020 project produced evidence today they say proves the high voltage lines are not needed.5:54 p.m.
• Prized possessions for sale in stressed economy
  Business has picked up at pawn shops as credit tightens up. So, more and more people are trying to turn goods they have at home into cash. But, sometimes those family heirlooms or prized possessions have value beyond monetary.6:24 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• British Singer Finds Instant Internet Stardom
  Susan Boyle, a middle-aged volunteer church worker, was an instant hit on the TV show Britain's Got Talent. By Thursday, a clip of her performance had been watched more than 12 million times on YouTube.
• Lawmaker Says Cuba Policy Will Set Back U.S. Goals
  Rep. Lincoln Diaz-Balart (R-FL) calls President Obama's decision to lift travel and remittance restrictions between the U.S. and Cuba a "serious mistake." He tells NPR that international pressure must be maintained in an effort to push Cuba toward democracy.
• Environmentalists Adopt New Weapon: Seed Balls
  Activists in Brooklyn, N.Y., are throwing seed balls into abandoned lots and dirt piles. The balls — made of mulch, seed mixture and red terra-cotta clay — break down in the rain, and the seeds germinate. One activist calls it a way to take control of a small piece of the planet.
• Study Tallies Children Of Illegal Immigrants
  The Pew Hispanic Center reports that more children are being born to illegal immigrants in the U.S. than had been known. And the children are far more likely to live in poverty than those with American-born parents.
• Children Of Immigrants Less Likely To Get Benefits
  Children living in immigrant families are more likely to be poor than those whose parents were born in the U.S., but these same children are far less likely to receive public benefits to which they are entitled. Advocacy groups are now trying to help these families navigate the registration process.
• Afghan Marriage Law Prompts Protests
  Supporters and opponents of a new marriage act stage rival demonstrations in Afghanistan. Foreign and domestic critics say the measure is unfair to women. President Karzai has ordered a judicial review.
• Critics Skeptical Of Obama's 'Openness' Vow
  President Obama came to office promising government transparency, but some activists say his administration has not done enough to keep that promise on the national security front. A major test of its openness comes Thursday.
• Importance Of Church Slips Rapidly Among British
  Once upon a time, England was a very Christian nation. Now, Britain has become one of the most secular countries in Europe. While some say the church plays no role in modern life, there is a highly Christian sector of British society — largely among immigrant communities.
• Judith Krug Dies; Fought For Intellectual Freedom
  Judith Krug, director of the American Library Association's Office for Intellectual Freedom for more than 40 years, died following a long battle with stomach cancer. She was 69. Robert Doyle, executive director of the Illinois Library Association, shares his memories of Krug.
• Letters: Internet Cost; Triangle; Fidrych
  Listeners respond to stories on Time-Warner's new plan to introduce tiered pricing for its Internet service, Christine Balfa's new CD of triangle music and Don Gonyea's remembrance of baseball player Mark "the Bird" Fidrych.

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