Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Digital TV conversion not going well for some
  Nielsen Media Research estimates there are more than 22,000 households in the Twin Cities metro area that haven't made the switch to digital TV, but for those that have, many are reporting reception problems they are not pleased with.6:50 a.m.
• St. Cloud residents not seeing results of stimulus
  Many observers predicted that St. Cloud would be an early indicator of how federal stimulus money is working its way through the economy, but so far, things haven't improved much.7:20 a.m.
• Arts should take on the challege of tough economy
  For months, arts organizations around Minnesota have been talking about tight budgets. But is it possible for arts groups to cut themselves back to fiscal health?8:25 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• In Colombia, Tourists Flock To Drug Kingpin's Ranch
  What once served as an exotic playground for Colombian drug cartel boss Pablo Escobar is now a theme park with guided tours, horseback riding, a swimming pool and a zoo. Park officials say the goal isn't to glorify the drug trafficker but to chronicle his place in history.
• Battered Asylum Seekers May Find U.S. Relief
  For more than a decade, U.S. administrations have struggled with whether immigrants who are victims of domestic violence can qualify for asylum in the U.S. In a new legal brief, the Obama administration says it supports asylum in some abuse cases.
• Baseball's Graybeards? They Manage
  Major League Baseball could advertise for AARP. The sport's managers include many of the oldest head mentors in big-league sports, including the ageless Joe Torre of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The football and hockey leagues have some of the youngest.
• Word Choice A Key Factor In Health Care Debate
  Choosing which words to use is a key part of the health-care debate. For example, is it a "public option" or a "government plan"? Every side uses words calculated to persuade people before they even think about it. But can one side or the other win the debate simply by winning the war of words?
• Bernanke Says Fed Has Tools To Fight Inflation
  Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke is on Capitol Hill this week seeking to reassure lawmakers about the state of the economy. He told them Tuesday that as the economy begins to recover, the Fed will be on the lookout for inflation and has the tools to fight it.
• China Aims High For Its Space Program
  In 2003, China became the third country after the United States and the Soviet Union to put a human in space. China may be a latecomer to the field of space exploration, but it has big plans, including its first unmanned mission to the moon's surface some three years from now.
• Despite Glitches, India Shoots For The Moon
  India launched its first moon mission in October amid a great gust of patriotic excitement about securing membership in the world's tiny lunar explorers' club — which includes its regional rival, China. Despite the mission's technical problems — and the space program's huge costs — Indian scientists' ambitions are high.
• CDC Reports Rise In Teen Pregnancy, STD Rates
  The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is concerned about sexual health trends among teens and young adults: Pregnancies and STD rates are up. Children have access to a lot of information via the Internet, but experts say prevention programs have to interpret it for them.
• U.S. Pressure On Jewish Settlements Spurs Sales
  U.S.-Israel relations are worsening over Israel's refusal to halt new construction in Jewish settlements. But as the Obama administration presses for a halt to all new building, real estate agents are reporting a rush to buy apartments both in east Jerusalem and the West Bank.
• Starbucks Posts Profit, But Sales, Traffic Still Low
  Starbucks shares rose on the news that it made about $150 million in the most recent quarter, but this doesn't mean the economy's bubbling again. Sales and customer traffic at Starbucks stores are still lower than they were this time last year. The giant coffee retailer's profits are largely a result of corporate cost cutting. The company has laid off many of its workers and shut hundreds of shops.

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