Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Two northwest Wis. VA clinics close over funding problems
  Two recently opened Minneapolis VA clinics in western Wisconsin were abruptly shut down this week by the company under contract to run them. Kentucky-based Corporate Health and Wellness says it lost hundreds of thousands of dollars opening the clinics.5:19 p.m.
• Feds grant $156.8M for Northstar rail line
  State and federal officials signed documents Tuesday that bring nearly half of the funding for the $320 million Northstar commuter rail line between Minneapolis and Big Lake.5:23 p.m.
• Sen. Coleman offers plan to combat foreclosures
  Since President George Bush outlined his plan to freeze interest rates on some risky mortgages last week, more than 45,000 people have called the subprime hotline set up to assist those looking for advice and trying to avoid foreclosure.5:51 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Yellow River Pollution Is Price of Economic Growth
  All along China's mother river, serious air and water pollution — the high cost of China's breakneck industrial growth — is evident. The environmental damage has catalyzed activists, but even those who worry acknowledge the contradictions of development.
• Cecilia Bartoli: A Diva and Her Obsession
  The opera star is known for her musical obsessions, her latest being the music and repertoire of 19th-century diva Maria Malibran. Bartoli has built a traveling shrine to Malibran, and they're currently on tour together.
• Assads Mix Classical Guitar, Brazilian Heritage
  Brothers Sergio and Odair Assad of Brazil began playing guitar together more than 40 years ago. Today, they're classical-guitar legends, renowned for their unified sound and their adventurous repertoire. The Assad brothers have just released their seventh CD.
• Fed Issues Third Key Rate Cut in Three Months
  The Federal Reserve cut a key interest rate by one-quarter of a percentage point to 4.25 percent Tuesday, and Wall Street plunged after the announcement. It's the third cut in three months, and it comes amid a worsening mortgage crisis, a housing slump and a credit crunch.
• Cardboard Boxes Among Many Indicators for Fed
  The Federal Reserve took a cautious path Tuesday, lowering interest rates by a quarter-point. The move may indicate that the economy is not as soft as some thought. One indicator that Fed economists look at is the demand for cardboard boxes — which seems to be holding up just fine.
• Death Toll Climbs in Algerian Bombings
  Car bombs exploded minutes apart Tuesday in central Algiers, heavily damaging a United Nations building and ripping the facade off the wing of a government office. Dozens were killed, including some U.N. employees, and the death toll is still climbing.
• Deadly Ice, Power Outages Persist in Midwest
  A cone of ice has coated the Midwest from Oklahoma to Wisconsin and is being blamed for at least 23 deaths. Massive power outages may last for a week or more.
• Refugees Returning to Iraq Find Homes Occupied
  As Iraqi refugees begin to return to Baghdad and other cities, some are finding their homes occupied. The Iraqi government has not yet devised a plan to resolve the disputes. That means local community leaders and U.S. troops end up trying to find solutions themselves.
• Wish Lists for Santa, Politicians in Milford, N.H.
  All Things Considered has been visiting Milford, N.H., periodically to talk with residents about their presidential options before the nation's first primary Jan. 8.
• Candidates' Money Trails Through Primary States
  As the presidential candidates trample through the early primary states, they're leaving behind a trail of dollars. For example, Mitt Romney's political action committee contributed to local candidates in early primary states. Such contributions are useful to building connections.

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