Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Millions included in spending bill for Minn. transportation
  Over the weekend, Congress approved and President Obama is expected to sign a spending measure that includes millions of dollars for a wide range of pet projects including transportation projects.5:20 p.m.
• Transportation projects in Minnesota
  Transportation appropriations for the state of Minnesota.5:23 p.m.
• What's next for the detained hikers in Iran?
  University of Minnesota anthropology professor William Beeman talked with All Things Considered about the situation of the three detained Americans that will be tried in Iranian court.5:24 p.m.
• Many Minnesota schools seeing enrollment increase
  Many school districts in Minnesota have more students in kindergarten this year, and it appears to be the beginning of a rebound from years of steady decline in enrollment.5:51 p.m.
• Data shows 1 in 20 Minn. students default on student loans
  New data from the Department of Education shows that 6 percent of students in Minnesota who took out government education loans are in default. That number is half the national average of 12 percent.5:56 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Senate Democrats Split On Prescription Drug Imports
  Democrats are split on a proposed amendment to the health care overhaul bill that would allow pharmacies and wholesalers to import lower-cost drugs from overseas. Supporters say it will save consumers billions of dollars. Opponents raise safety concerns — and fears that it could blow up the entire bill.
• Climate Change Poses Threat To Colombian Coast
  Climate scientists say Colombia's glaciers could disappear within 15 years. Wet highland areas that provide much of the country's fresh water are getting warmer and drier. And each year, flooding becomes more severe. The coastal area of Tumaco has become an example of how environmental and security pressures are undermining previously stable communities.
• D.C. Gay Marriage Bill Expected To Pass Council Vote
  With the mayor's backing, a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in the nation's capital is expected to be approved on Tuesday. But opponents, who are hoping for a congressional reversal after the vote, haven't stopped lobbying against it.
• New Tool Takes Better Business Bureau Seal Online
  Spending online this holiday season is expected to break records. Although shopping on the Internet has become more convenient, it can still be tough to determine which businesses to trust. A new Web tool from the Better Business Bureau is designed to help.
• Alan Cheuse's Book Picks To Warm A Winter's Night
  Book reviewer Alan Cheuse selects the highlights of this holiday season: futuristic dystopias; things that go bump in the night; portraits from Norman Rockwell's America; gay New York; a celebration of our immigrant adventures; one writer's journey to manhood; and, of course, Long John Silver.
• In 'Race,' David Alan Grier Confronts Painful Issues
  A new Broadway play from writer David Mamet has audience members shifting in their seats. It's about the prickly and painful issues that arise out of a legal case in which a wealthy white man is accused of raping a black woman. Actor David Alan Grier, who plays a lawyer, says Mamet is exploding the notion that America has moved past racism.
• Infected Mushroom: 'Psy-Trance' From Israel
  Infected Mushroom resides at the forefront of an emerging musical genre called psy-trance — complex electronic music with the sophistication of rock or jazz. The group expanded from a voice-and-keyboard duo to a quintet in an effort to make electronic dance music more interesting.
• Obama To Bankers: Increase Lending
  President Obama met Monday with the nation's biggest bankers, hoping to jawbone them into providing more small-business loans. Previous administration efforts to boost credit have not yet paid off, and cash-starved business owners are growing impatient.
• Do Banks Owe Taxpayers More Than TARP Funds?
  President Obama said Monday that U.S. banks that received bailout funds from taxpayers must help rebuild the economy. Do banks owe U.S. taxpayers anything beyond repayment of money borrowed from the Troubles Assets Relief Program? Alex Pollock, resident fellow at the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, and Robert Shapiro, chairman of the economic advisory firm Sonecon, offer their insight.
• Exxon Announces $31B Deal To Buy XTO Energy
  Exxon Mobil is betting big on natural gas, announcing Monday it is buying XTO Energy for about $30 billion in stock. XTO is a major player in developing so-called unconventional natural gas resources, including gas trapped in shale rock formations.

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