Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Santorum scores convincing win in Minn. caucus
  Rick Santorum scored a convincing win in Minnesota's Republican precinct caucuses, with Ron Paul finishing second, Mitt Romney third and Newt Gingrich at the back of the pack.6:20 a.m.
• Voter enthusiasm a gauge of political interest in swing district
  Political enthusiasm this year got voters down in the trenches in the suburban swing district of Eagan.7:20 a.m.
• Body-gripping trap users and dog owners clash
  On Wednesday, we check in with one of our reporters based outside the Twin Cities. MPR's Cathy Wurzer spoke with Tom Robertson who's in Bemidji and covers northern Minnesota. He's been following the recent controversy surrounding the use of so-called "body-gripping" traps by trappers.8:25 a.m.
• Santorum win extends GOP presidential race
  MPR's Cathy Wurzer spoke with Carlton College political science professor Steven Schier about Rick Santorum's prospects in the GOP nominating race.8:45 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Previously Calm, Unrest Reaches Syrian Capital
  As Western nations increasingly push to end the violence in Syria, tension has reached the capital Damascus. Last June, a woman there who blogs under the pseudonym "Jasmine Roman," described Damascus as a city removed from the demonstrations that were taking place elsewhere in the country. Renee Montagne talks with her again, to see how things have changed 11 months after the anti-government uprising began in Syria.
• Concern Grows Over Possible Israeli Strike On Iran
  Analysts speculate that Israel will strike Iran because of its nuclear facilities. U.S. officials are said to oppose an Israeli strike but think it may come in the spring. Steve Inskeep talks with Karim Sadjadpour of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace about how tensions with Iran have escalated.
• Facebook: Lots Of Friends, But Stock Offering Has Risks
  Roughly half of Facebook's users check in on smartphones and other mobile devices every month, but so far the company isn't making money on mobile. That's one of the potential pitfalls for the company as it prepares to sell its stock to the public.
• India's Coffee Consumption Doubles Over Last Decade
  Starbucks recently announced it is expanding into India. Long a nation of tea lovers, India's youth are increasingly opting for coffee. The dramatic rise of coffee houses there, not only highlights a change in taste, but a cultural shift where young affluent Indians are more interested in global trends than ever before.
• Case In Britain Echoes Dilemma At Guantanamo
  A British immigration judge ruled Monday that a longtime terrorism suspect and detainee should be released on bail. But U.K. officials say Abu Qatada's release would put Britain's national security in peril. The case shows how much Britain is grappling with the issues that have bedeviled U.S. authorities seeking to shutter Guantanamo.
• Calif. Ban On Gay Marriage Ruled Unconstitutional
  A federal appeals court ruling in California may bring the debate over same-sex marriage closer to the U.S. Supreme Court. A three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled California's ban on same-sex marriage, also known as Proposition 8, is unconstitutional. Opponents of Proposition 8 called the ruling "historic." Supporters of the voter-approved ban call the decision "misguided."
• Gingrich Uses Food Stamps To Criticize Rivals
  Ever since Congress passed the Food Stamp Act nearly a half century ago, that federal hunger-relief program has periodically become a political target. Over the past decade, the nation's food stamp program has more than doubled in size. This year, the program has become a part of the presidential contest.
• Investors Confident Greek Debt Crisis Will Be Fixed
  Optimism and Greek debt are rarely heard in a sentence together but there's hope, at least for the moment. Leaders in Greece are working on a plan needed to receive another international bailout, and market players think a deal is close. The country faces bankruptcy next month unless it can secure the next round of emergency funding.
• To Get Bailout, Greece Must Reduce Minimum Wage
  The European Union and the International Monetary Fund say this will make the Greek labor market more competitive and ultimately boost growth. At one time, strong unions pushed aside a weak business lobby to secure government guarantees of high salaries including the minimum wage.
• Labor Law Change May Offer Relief For Spain's Youth
  In Spain, the jobless rate for 20-somethings is a staggering 50 percent. This week, the government is expected to announce plans to overhaul the country's two-tier labor system in an effort to help the so-called "ni ni" generation — Spanish for those neither in school nor working.

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