Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Chamber orchestras flock to St. Paul
  For the next month, the Twin Cities will play host to an extraordinary orchestral event. Four of the worlds top chamber orchestras will join the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra for what's believed to be the first ever International Chamber Orchestra Festival.6:55 a.m.
• Zero-based budgeting gains steam at the Capitol
  Minnesota lawmakers are facing tough task: balance the state's budget in the face of a projected $4.8 billion deficit. Both DFL legislative leaders and the governor have mentioned using a technique called zero-based budgeting to help close the gap.7:20 a.m.
• Farmers feel penalized by Green Acres program
  Changes in Minnesota's Green Acres program have some farmers preparing to plow up wetlands and cut down windbreaks.7:25 a.m.
• Arts on the cheap
  With the economy in recession, consumers are casting an increasingly sharp eye on how they spend their discretionary income. But being careful with a dollar doesn't have to mean cutting the arts out of your life.8:25 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Obama Presses For New Economic Stimulus
  For the fourth day in a row, President-elect Barack Obama is making a pitch for a huge new economic stimulus package. "There is no doubt that the cost of this plan will be considerable. It will certainly add to the budget deficit in the short-term," Obama said. "But equally certain are the consequences of doing too little or nothing at all, for that will lead to an even greater deficit of jobs, incomes, and confidence in our economy." Obama's speech, given at George Mason University in Virginia, was aimed to lay the groundwork for a major initiative early in his presidency. But that doesn't mean he's taking the blame. He also made the point that the economic crisis didn't happen on his watch.
• Palestinian Philosopher's View Of Gaza
  Palestinian philosopher Sari Nusseibeh comments on the fighting in Gaza, and what it means for the prospects of an independent Palestinian state. Nusseibeh, who is president of Al-Quds University in Jerusalem, comes from a family that traces its roots in Jerusalem back 13 centuries.
• Learning To See In Stereo
  Children born with a crossed eye can develop a condition called amblyopia that leaves them unable to see in stereo as adults. Conventional wisdom holds that vision stops improving around age 7, but now researchers believe adults with this condition can train their brains to gain stereo vision.
• At Electronics Show, New Gadgets For Older Cars
  While new-car sales are tanking, vendors at the International Consumer Electronics Show hope to tempt buyers with flashy new gadgets to put in their old vehicles. The world's largest consumer-tech trade show opens Thursday.
• Gut Reaction: Overeating Can Impair Body Function
  Though the holidays are over, they may have some lingering effects. Indulging even for a short period may cause changes in body functions that lead to more overeating.
• Frogs Pipe Up After Australian Desert Downpour
  Morning Edition visits an ephemeral pond in the Australian desert, where a sudden downpour has flushed out 11 species of frogs. In their chorus, they signal to mates and mark territory. The segment is part of "Wild Sounds," a series of short, sound-rich stories from remote parts of the planet that are home to rare animals.
• Outsourcing Giant Admits Cooking The Books
  The chairman of one of India's largest technology outsourcing companies has resigned after admitting the company's profits had been inflated for several years. The scandal at Satyam Computer Services Ltd. threatens future foreign investments in India and tarnishes the once-booming outsourcing sector.
• Berlin Philharmonic Offers Digital Concerts
  Fans of Germany's renowned Berlin Philharmonic just have to have Internet access to follow the orchestra's performances. The orchestra has a new "digital concert hall" accessible via the Internet. Music lovers can buy tickets to watch performances live online or, for nearly $14, the music may be accessed anytime within two days after the broadcast.
• Northern, Southern Israel Hit With Rockets
  Communities in northern Israel are on high alert after several rockets were fired from southern Lebanon into Israel Thursday. The Israeli military quickly responded with artillery fire into Lebanon. At the same time, there were more rockets fired at southern Israel from the Gaza Strip — as the Israeli military's offensive continues with air strikes and new ground fighting reported.
• For Civilians, 'There Is No Safe Zone In Gaza'
  Israel is preventing reporters from entering the Gaza Strip to cover the offensive against Hamas. Ayman Mohyeldin, a television reporter for Al-Jazeera English, has been in Gaza since the Israeli air strikes began. He says that the Israeli offensive has been punishing and that "there is no safe zone in Gaza."
• Obama Gets A New Armored Presidential Limousine
  President-elect Barack Obama may inherit his predecessors' wars, deficit and address, but he will not have to ride in George W. Bush's car. The Detroit News reports during the inauguration, Obama will cruise down Pennsylvania Avenue in an armored 2009 Cadillac Presidential Limousine. The model has bigger windows than the old presidential limo. It's made by General Motors. And if GM could just get a few million more people to buy one, maybe it wouldn't need that government bailout.
• Obama To Deliver Major Economic Address
  President-elect Obama suggests his economic stimulus package would add up to about $775 billion over two years, but not the trillion dollar estimate that some economists have called for. Obama delivers a major speech on the economy Thursday. He's expected to make the case for urgent action on his stimulus package — a plan aimed at creating millions of jobs.
• Egyptian Doctors Waiting To Cross Into Gaza
  A three-hour cease-fire yesterday in the Gaza Strip allowed some badly wounded Palestinians to leave for medical treatment in neighboring Egypt. Medical supplies and food were allowed to enter Gaza. But doctors who have massed at the border are growing angry at being prevented from joining their colleagues in Gaza.
• India Presses Pakistan On Deadly Mumbai Attacks
  Six weeks after the attacks on Mumbai that killed more than 170 people, officials in India are stepping up pressure on Pakistan to act against the group it believes is responsible. Pakistanis say they are ready to cooperate. Analysts say neither country wants a military conflict, thought they expect the tension to continue for a long time.
• Championship Game Stars 2 Heisman Winners
  Quarterbacks are normally the center of attention in football. That will especially be the case in Thursday's college championship game between the Oklahoma Sooners and Florida Gators. It features the last two Heisman Trophy winners: the Sooners' Sam Bradford and the Gators' Tim Tebow. They'll meet in Miami.

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