Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Former investors watching Petters fraud case unfold
  Twin Cities businessman Tom Petters is now scheduled to go on trial in early February. Petters is facing charges that he masterminded a multi-billion dollar fraud scheme. Petters pleaded not guilty in a federal courtroom in St. Paul Tuesday.6:50 a.m.
• Gas prices down, old habits return?
  Gas prices dipped Tuesday, hitting their lowest level since January 2005. High gas prices over the summer turned Minnesotans into frugal drivers. Now that prices have plummeted, are drivers reverting back to their old gas-guzzling ways?6:55 a.m.
• Stray ballots, excessive challenges raise concern in recount's final days
  Scott and Wright counties will start recounting their votes in Minnesota's U.S. Senate race today. With just three days until the recounting is expected to end, 93 percent of the vote has been recounted and the campaigns for Republican Norm Coleman and Democrat Al Franken have challenged 6,000 ballots.7:20 a.m.
• U.S. Steel laying off 400 at Keewatin plant
  Hundreds of workers at the taconite plant in Keewatin are wondering how long the layoff will last this time. U.S. Steel has announced it will idle the Keewatin plant, laying off close to 400 workers.7:25 a.m.
• Future Tense with Jon Gordon
  Popularity of mini-laptops rising8:20 a.m.
• Two Pro Bowl Vikings weigh legal options after suspension
  Attorneys for Kevin and Pat Williams may seek an injunction today so the players can continue competing for the Minnesota Vikings this year. The two defensive tackles were suspended by the NFL for four games because they tested positive for a banned substance.8:25 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Report: Toxins Found In One-Third Of Toys Tested
  One in three toys tested by a Michigan nonprofit group contained medium or high levels of toxic chemicals, according a report released Wednesday. And U.S.-made children's toys didn't necessarily contain fewer toxins than their imported counterparts.
• For The Hungry, A Different Kind Of Takeout
  People in a number of cities across the country are finding ways to donate their extra food. In San Francisco, a group called Food Runners will either tell you where to deliver leftovers or send a volunteer to gather up the goodies and give them to the hungry.
• Black Iraqis In Basra Face Racism
  Iraqis of African descent in the southern port city of Basra say they're still discriminated against because of the color of their skin. Long relegated to menial jobs or work as musicians and dancers, some have recently formed a group to advance their civil rights.
• Rice Stops In India To Defuse Mumbai Tensions
  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in New Delhi, where she's trying to calm tensions between India and Pakistan over the Mumbai attacks. The Indian government says the militants who carried out the attacks were linked with Pakistan. Ordinary Indians are upset over the failure of the country's intelligence services.
• Mumbai Stands Out From Other Terrorist Attacks
  India has experienced terrorist attacks long before last week's violence in Mumbai. But Shashi Tharoor, a former U.N. under-secretary general and the author of many books on India, says the Mumbai attacks stand out because the siege lasted for three days, foreigners were killed and the media kept the attacks in the headlines.
• Agents Use High- And Low-Tech Tracking At Border
  Night vision scopes, motion detectors and cameras, combined with an increase in Border Patrol agents on foot, aim to stop people from illegally crossing into the United States. Despite the increases in monitoring, border crossers who have been caught say they will continue to try to re-enter the states.
• Britons Discover Ways To Cushion Recession's Blows
  Britain is being hit by the recession, and unemployment is rising sharply. But the Brits are coming up with some old-school ways to cushion the blow. For a lot of young people, this is their first recession, and they are not used to shopping at second-hand stores.
• In Italy, Feminism Out, Women As Sex Symbols In
  Opinion polls indicate that the showgirl is the No. 1 role model for young Italian women. Women dominate in advertising and TV shows, but the presence of women in the Italian work force, in management and in politics is drastically lower than in the rest of Europe. Some blame Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.
• Hawaii Plans To Roll Out Electric Car Stations
  Hawaii's Republican Gov. Linda Lingle has announced plans to create an electric car recharging network throughout the islands by 2012. The state is working with a Silicon Valley company that will build tens of thousands of battery recharging points throughout the islands. Many in Hawaii would like to see the plan put in place because drivers there pay some of the highest gas prices in the nation.
• Foreclosure Crisis Leaves HOA Dues Unpaid
  Homeowners associations across the country are being hit hard by the foreclosure crisis. Millions of dollars worth of monthly dues are going unpaid. Neighbors are left to pick up the tab — if they can.

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