Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Experts cool to idea of tax rebate in Minnesota
  Gov. Pawlenty is required by a 1999 state law to propose a rebate plan if the budget surplus tops $1 billion. The Legislature can adopt, modify or reject the plan.7:20 a.m.
• In wake of weak math scores, education officials want to make math exciting
  Math is a challenge for many Minnesota high school students, judging from the math scores on a new statewide test.7:25 a.m.
• Minnesota National Guard soldiers die in Iraq
  A father talks about the loss of his son, Cory Rystad.7:49 a.m.
• Latinos sending more money back home
  The Latino population in Minnesota is growing rapidly, and the money immigrants send to Latin America from Minnesota is growing even faster. A recent report estimates a doubling in the amount of money transfers over the last two years.7:55 a.m.
• Monday Markets with Chris Farrell
  Perry Finelli talks with Minnesota Public Radio's chief economics correspondent Chris Farrell about mergers, ledgers lined with extra cash and what it all means for the overall state of the economy.8:25 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Pfizer Stock Drops on Drug Development News
  Shares of the world's biggest drugmaker -- Pfizer -- dipped following the company's weekend announcement that it will halt development of a new heart disease remedy after unexpected trial results.
• Practicing 'The Queen's Hinglish' in Central England
  Baljinder Mahal is the author of the book The Queen's Hinglish, a guide to the blending of Hindi and English by Indian immigrants to the U.K. She meets with Rob Gifford in the town of Derby in central England for some practical lessons in Hinglish.
• Indians Learn to Speak in Two Languages at Once
  India is a country of a billion people, and two official languages. Hindi and English are designated as the languages of government. This situation has led to the spontaneous creation of "Hinglish," a hybrid language combining elements of Hindi and English.
• Florida Awarded Chance to Play for Football Crown
  It was decided this weekend that Florida will play Ohio State in college football's national championship game. But the system that decides who will play where has come in for more criticism after another year in which there is more than two legitimate contenders for the sport's crown.
• U.S. House May Add New Seats in Utah, D.C.
  For the first time in nearly a century, the House of Representatives could get more members. The Utah state legislature meets Monday to vote on district boundaries for a new seat. The proposed seat is part of a plan to award a seat to the District of Columbia.
• Chile's Pinochet Suffers Heart Attack
  The former president of Chile, Augusto Pinochet, is reported in stable, but serious, condition after suffering a heart attack. Pinochet, who's 91, ruled Chile with an iron hand for 17 years following a military coup in 1973.
• Washington Anticipates Iraq Report's Release
  Some new ideas may surface in Washington this week in the form of recommendations from the Iraq Study Group. The release of the group's long-anticipated report will be the primary topic of conversation across the nation's capital.
• Japanese Koto Instrument Adds Lasers
  Composer Miya Masaoka has started playing the "Laser Koto," a futuristic version of the traditional Japanese stringed instrument, the Koto, that's been around since the 8th century. Masaoka outfitted the instrument with four laser beams, plus light sensors and infrared sensors. It all connects to her laptop computer, allowing Masaoka to play the light "strings."
• 'Wired' Says Some Electronics Aren't Built to Last
  Are your favorite electronic gadgets "built to fail?" A recent Wired magazine story contends that some tech toys are built to last only until the manufacturer wants you to upgrade to the next great toy. Wired's Mark McClusky speaks with Deborah Amos about the article.
• Survey: Economists Agree on Many Policy Issues
  According to a new survey, economists agree on a large number of policy issues ranging from free trade to educational vouchers. Economist Robert Whaples surveyed over two-hundred Ph.D. economists, randomly selected from the American Economic Association.
• Pfizer Ends Development of Cholesterol Drug
  Pfizer has announced it is ending development of a much-anticipated cholesterol-reducing drug for heart patients. The company says an independent board has found increased deaths and heart problems among patients in a late-stage trial of torcetrapib.
• Gates Hearing Expected to Focus on Iraq
  A confirmation hearing for Robert Gates before the Senate Armed Services Committee is scheduled for Tuesday. President Bush nominated the former CIA director to replace Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.
• Congress Unlikely to Complete Budget Duties
  U.S. lawmakers came back for a lame-duck session to finish work on 10 annual spending bills. The bills should have been done at the end of September. Now, it looks like not a single one will be completed.
• Bolton Resigns as U.N. Ambassador
  U.N. Ambassador John Bolton will be leaving his post when his recess appointment ends in the next few weeks. The White House had sought to keep Bolton in the job, but could not rally enough support in Congress to have him confirmed.
• Rumsfeld Memo Adds Fuel to Ongoing Iraq Debate
  From the leaked Rumsfeld memo to the forthcoming report by the Iraq Study Group, the debate over the war is dominating the news. It appears that member of the Bush administration are signaling that it's time for a major shift in strategy.

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