Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Officials warn flooded residents to beware of mold
  In many parts of southeastern Minnesota, people are cleaning up from flash floods that damaged hundreds of homes. County and federal officials have repeatedly warned residents to find clean, dry places to sleep and to watch out for mold.7:20 a.m.
• Local Somalis help educate students in Minnesota, and Kenya
  A Twin Cities nonprofit group is taking on Somali education on two continents -- in Minnesota and in Africa. Generation for Change and Growth was started by Somali professionals concerned that Somali students were being set up for failure.7:25 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Taiwan's Acer to Acquire Gateway Computer
  Struggling Gateway computer is being purchased for $710 million by Acer, a Taiwan-based computer maker. Gateway was a rising power in the computer industry in the early 1990s. It was started by college dropout Ted Waite in his father's South Dakota barn back in 1985.
• Consumer Confidence Slips Amid Bad News
  The Reuters consumer sentiment index dropped to its lowest level in a year this month. That may stem from a barrage of negative economic news. The supply of unsold homes just rose to a 16-year high, suggesting the worst is yet to come for the domestic housing market.
• U.N. Peacekeepers Prepare for Darfur Deployment
  The United Nations is trying to put together its biggest operation in the world — a protection force for Darfur, Sudan. The U.N. peacekeeping office plans to work with African Union troops already on the ground. But it's clear that a much more mobile force is needed to protect millions of people at risk there.
• Pilgrims Flee Violence in Karbala; 24 Confirmed Dead
  Thousands of Shiite pilgrims are fleeing the Iraqi city of Karbala, where fierce clashes between rival factions have left at least 24 dead. Clashes at the holy city south of Baghdad erupted as thousands of pilgrims came from around the country for a Shiite religious festival.
• U.S. Obesity Levels on the Rise, Group Says
  Despite recent attention to the issue of obesity and its relation to health problems such as diabetes and hypertension, not one state showed a decline in the rate of obesity, according to the Trust for America's Health on Obesity, a nonprofit organization.
• Overwhelmed New Orleans Teacher Quits
  Matt Roberts moved to New Orleans last year to teach. He wanted to make a difference as a teacher in the city's troubled public schools. But now he has decided to quit. He explains why in this commentary.
• Arkansas Law Allows Marriage at Any Age
  A new law in Arkansas makes it legal to say "I do" even if the couple isn't old enough to talk. The law meant to say that anyone who is pregnant can get married (no matter how young) with parental consent. But an accidental word changed the meaning of the law.
• Teen iPhone Hacker Gets New Car from Company
  This has become like one of those daytime game shows. A teenage hacker made a modification to Apple's much-publicized iPhone. It's supposed to be locked so you only use AT&T phone service. George Hotz of New Jersey spent hundreds of hours unlocking it. A company called Certi-Cell gave him a new Nissan in exchange for the altered phone.
• Cliks Lead Singer Silveira: Welcoming Change
  When the rock band the Cliks first formed, lead singer Lucas Silveira was a she — Lillia Silveira, who fronted an all-female band. With the transition into a male, he is the first transgender lead singer to be signed to a major label with the album, Snakehouse.
• King Tut Exhibit Prompts Debate on His Skin Color
  The King Tut exhibition has drawn millions. But some African-American scholars believe the exhibition makes King Tut look too white. The debate over King Tut's race led the Franklin Institute Science Museum in Philadelphia, where the show is currently on display, to sponsor a conference on the subject.
• A Call for Integrity in DOJ Leadership
  Even before Attorney General Alberto Gonzales resigned, some top aides left in the scandal over firing eight U.S. attorneys. Donald Ayer, who served as Deputy Attorney General under the first President Bush, says the next leader has to be willing to say egregious mistakes have been made.
• Bonds' Record-Breaking Homerun Ball Set for Auction
  Matt Murphy, the 21-year-old college student from New York who snagged Barry Bonds' record-breaking homerun ball in a crush of fans, is auctioning the ball. He expects it to fetch at least $500,000 in an online auction. He says he doesn't have the money to pay taxes on it.
• Michael Vick Guilty Plea Doesn't Distract Team
  The National Football League's Atlanta Falcons' 24-19 win over the Cincinnati Bengals provided a boost for Atlanta fans after an emotionally draining day. It started with the Falcons' star quarterback Michael Vick pleading guilty to federal dogfighting charges in Virginia. Vick, one of the NFL's most famous and marketable athletes, faces the prospect of a prison sentence. He finds out his punishment at a Dec. 10 hearing.
• Investors Look to Profit from Mortgage Woes
  A letter from a New York hedge fund invites readers to "capitalize from the carnage," in the subprime mortgage industry, according to a Web site for investors. That means investing in mortgages at fire-sale prices. And plenty of investors are looking to profit from problems in the mortgage industry.
• Greece Gains Control of Fires; Cause Is Disputed
  The fires in Greece are slowly going out, leaving villages scorched and empty. The government is portraying the continuing disaster as a crime — at least 63 people have died in the fires. But some environmentalists are skeptical about the possibility of arson.

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