Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Democrat Tinklenberg plans big advertising blitz
  Sixth district congressional challenger Democrat Elwyn Tinklenberg plans to launch a large advertising campaign this week, thanks to an unexpected financial windfall.7:20 a.m.
• Slow holidays add to Target's problems
  The Christmas holidays don't appear to hold much joy for retailers, including Minneapolis-based Target, which has already been struggling with slowing sales and problems in its credit card business.7:40 a.m.
• How much is suburban green space worth?
  In the last five years, residents of several Minnesota cities or counties have voted to spend more than $50 million to preserve open space and park land.7:45 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Was Stalin The Greatest Russian In History?
  Russians have the chance to pick the greatest Russian ever as part of a 13-part TV series that began airing there this month. Online voting temporarily put Soviet dictator Josef Stalin at the top of the list.
• At 85, 'Atomic Ed' Is Still Ticking Off Los Alamos
  For more than 25 years, Ed Grothus has been a thorn in the side of the Department of Energy's Los Alamos National Laboratory, hoarding its debris and criticizing its work. While some may have hoped he would slow down in his old age, he remains as feisty a rabble-rouser as ever.
• Hard Times Snowball Into Ski Industry
  Ski resorts are already reporting low season ticket sales and low advance bookings. Foreclosures are on the rise, even in the high-end Rocky Mountain ski towns once thought immune to an economic downturn. Kirk Siegler reports for member station KUNC.
• China Records Slowest Growth In Years
  Asian stock markets advanced in Monday's trading, with South Korean shares gaining for the first time in four days. China also recovered from early losses, despite numbers showing that third-quarter growth slipped to 9 percent.
• Retired NFL Players, Union Meet In Federal Court
  A dispute between retired NFL players and their union heads to federal court Monday for a trial about money. More than 2,000 former players filed a class-action lawsuit against the NFL Players Association charging that the union breached a contract that would've supplied the players with millions of dollars in licensing revenue.
• Republican Colin Powell Endorses Democrat Obama
  Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama has picked up the endorsement of former Secretary of State Colin Powell. The former Bush administration official broke with the Republican party Sunday. Obama told a rally in Fayetteville, N.C., that he was honored to have Powell's support.
• McCain Shakes Off Powell's Endorsement Of Obama
  Republican presidential hopeful John McCain was campaigning Sunday in the swing state of Ohio. He cast himself as the guardian of middle-class workers and small-business owners. McCain also said he was not surprised that former Secretary of State Colin Powell, a Republican, endorsed his Democratic opponent Barack Obama.
• Global Summit Takes On Economic Turmoil
  President Bush and French President Nicholas Sarkozy met over the weekend at Camp David to discuss the world's economic turmoil. They agreed to hold an emergency summit that will deal with the current financial crisis and also look at how international finance should be conducted in the future. Philip Coggan, a columnist and editor with The Economist, tells Steve Inskeep that the Europeans want more regulations.
• Registering Voters A Difficult Task In Afghanistan
  Afghan and U.N. workers have begun registering voters for next year's presidential elections. It's a lot tougher this time because of growing insecurity and Taliban vows to disrupt the process by killing election workers and voters.
• Opening Statements To Start In Fort Dix Plot
  A jury will hear opening statements Monday in the trial of five foreign-born Muslim men accused of plotting to kill soldiers at Fort Dix, New Jersey. The government is presenting the case as one of the most frightening examples of homegrown terrorism since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
• Venezuela's Chavez Asks Russian Military For Help
  Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez is building what he describes as a vital military alliance with Russia. Chavez claims he needs Russian support because U.S. officials are plotting to overthrow him. Critics say Chavez is diverting attention from critical problems ahead of next month's elections.
• Powell Backs Obama, Blasts GOP
  Colin Powell, a Republican and retired general who was President Bush's first secretary of state, broke with the party Sunday and endorsed Democrat Barack Obama for president. Powell called Obama a "transformational figure" while criticizing the tone of John McCain's campaign.
• Red Sox Bedeviled By Tampa Bay Rays
  For the first time, the Tampa Bay Rays are headed to the World Series. They'll take on Philadelphia after beating the Boston Red Sox 3-1 in game 7 of the American League Championship Series.
• Dutch Bank ING The Latest To Get A Cash Infusion
  Governments around the world continue to announce financial rescue plans. Dutch officials poured more than $13 billion into their country's largest bank, ING. Over the weekend, ING became the latest European bank to seek government help. And Swedish officials have announced they're setting up a bailout fund. They'll guarantee some Swedish bank debt worth $200 billion.
• Norway Won't Bid To Host 2018 Winter Olympics
  Norway was planning to make a bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics. It has dropped those plans, in part because of the economic crisis. After a government study raised the projected costs of hosting the Olympic games to nearly $5 billion — or double the initial estimate — Norway's Olympic Committee decided not to go ahead with a bid. Other cities still hoping to host the 2018 Olympics include Munich, Germany, and Reno-Tahoe, Nevada.

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