Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Kline introduces bill to resolve GI Bill benefits for Minnesota soldiers
  Minnesota lawmakers say they're hopeful an Army review will lead to greater educational benefits for members of the Minnesota National Guard who served in Iraq. But just in case, Rep. John Kline introduced legislation that would resolve the problem.7:20 a.m.
• Does No Child Left Behind set unfair expectations for special education students?
  Many educators say the federal education law doesn't take the needs of special education students into consideration.7:23 a.m.
• From jock to artist
  In high school, R. Justin Stewart was a complete jock. Now just a few years later, the University of Minnesota student is an internationally acclaimed sculptor.7:50 a.m.
• What to do if you're facing foreclosure
  Richard Todd, vice president for the Federal Reserve of Minneapolis, spoke with MPR's Cathy Wurzer about reforming the mortgage market and what people should do if they're facing foreclosure.7:54 a.m.
• Art commentator Dominic Paptola on ticket scalping
  What's a ticket worth on the streets these day? St. Paul Pioneer Press theater critic takes a look at what the hottest ticket in the Twin Cities is going for these days.8:24 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• S. Africa Mine Union Leader Vows Safety Review
  Peter Bailey, chairman of health and safety for the National Union of Mine Workers in South Africa, discusses rescue developments at the Elandsrand gold mine in Carletonville, a town in South Africa's mining heartland near Johannesburg.
• Sputnik's Designers Didn't Fathom Its Impact
  Sputnik immediately captured the world's imagination with its beeps and its planetary shape, but it took days for the Soviet designers to realize the magnitude of their accomplishment.
• Hollywood Screenwriters' Strike Looms
  Unions representing television and movie writers go back to the bargaining table with studio representatives after months of contentious labor talks. But a strike seems likely. The writers want a share of the profits that studios get from new media such as DVDs.
• International Group Faces Turmoil in Sudan
  A group of elder statesmen, including Archbishop Desmond Tutu and former President Jimmy Carter, visit Sudan's troubled Darfur region. But they run into problems with Sudanese security forces.
• Letters: WWII Vet, AARP, Correction
  Vernon Tott, the American soldier who helped liberate concentration camp survivors, was full of good deeds despite suffering from cancer. Many AARP members are still far from retirement. Chimpanzees are actually apes, not monkeys.
• Florida Democrats Penalized for Early Primary
  Florida Democrats are paying a steep price for their decision to convene a presidential primary on Jan. 29, a week earlier than allowed under party rules. The Democratic National Committee took away Florida's presidential nominating delegates.
• Wall Street Firms Bested by Credit Market Woes
  The problems in the housing and credit markets are leading to more layoffs on Wall Street. Investment bank Bear Stearns says it will trim 310 jobs from its mortgage group. Merrill Lynch fired two senior executives.
• Sputnik, Space Race Mirror a Personal Journey
  Fifty years ago, a basketball-sized satellite went into orbit. Sputnik's successful launch ushered in vast changes in space exploration and in relations between two superpowers. For one commentator, it was the beginning of a more personal journey.
• Guard Families Seek to Close Gap Left by Iraq
  The Minnesota National Guard's 1st Brigade Combat Team returned from Iraq after 22 months, the longest deployment in history for the Guard. Families left behind struggle to put their lives back together.
• North, South Korea Pledge to Seek Peace Treaty
  North and South Korea sign a pact calling for a new peace treaty that would formally end the Korean War, and replace an armistice signed more than 50 years ago. It is the climax of a three-day summit in Pyongyang.
• Chili Sauce Lures Fire Brigade
  A powerful smell drifted through the Soho section of London. It was so strong that people said their throats burned. The fire brigade closed off roads and sent a chemical response team. They found people in a Thai restaurant, making chili for a sauce.
• Artist Evicted from R.I. Mall Parking Garage
  An artist in Rhode Island who's lived inside a mall parking garage since 2003 will have to move. Michael Townsend set up house behind a utility door in the Providence Place Mall garage with couches and a PlayStation. He documented his years living in the mall online.
• Weak Dollar Crimps Humanitarian Work
  The decline of the U.S. dollar has been detrimental to the ability of American aid agencies to provide assistance overseas. Michael Rewald, a director of the humanitarian group CARE International, discusses the impact of the weak dollar.
• GAO: FCC Tips Lobbyists on Phone, Cable Issues
  A Government Accountability Office report accuses the Federal Communications Commission of leaking tips to business interests before they're made public. It says the FCC has informed phone and cable lobbyists about items coming up for a vote in Congress.
• U.S. Envoy Reflects on Myanmar Crackdown
  As a military government crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations in Myanmar persists, the most senior U.S. diplomat in the country finds herself in a delicate position. Shari Villarosa talks about her role.

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