Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• McGuire settlement not seen as surprising
  Former UnitedHealth chief William McGuire will give back more than $400 million in tainted stock options.6:40 a.m.
• Climatoligist Dr. Mark Seeley chats about the weekend weather
  Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer talked about the latest weather news with University of Minnesota Climatologist Mark Seeley. They also looked ahead to the weekend forecast.6:50 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Independent Groups Target Iowa, New Hampshire
  Independent political-interest groups are working to influence the Iowa and New Hampshire presidential contests with big money and sophisticated strategies.
• Chains Test Pet Toys from China
  Many pet owners shop for their animals for the holidays, too. And with so many pet toys made in China, major chains say they're testing for safety concerns. So far, there are no recalls.
• Iraqi Civilian Disabled by War Struggles to Find Aid
  As aid agencies struggle to fill a void in Iraq's overwhelmed medical system, many disabled by the war have ended up on Baghdad's streets. One man who once worked as a blacksmith and security guard now scratches out a living as a street vendor.
• California Mortgage-Help Model Has Critics
  The Bush administration's plan to deal with rising home foreclosures by freezing interest rates for struggling borrowers is closely modeled on a California program that has attracted doubters.
• How Much Can Oprah Help Obama?
  Media force Oprah Winfrey will hit the campaign trail to back Sen. Barack Obama. Will Winfrey's celebrity translate into votes for the Illinois Democrat? Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank offers his insights.
• CIA Concedes It Destroyed Al Qaida Tapes
  CIA director Michael Hayden says the agency destroyed videotapes of its interrogations of two top al Qaida suspects, made in 2002. Philip Zelikow, executive director of the 9/11 Commission, had hoped to review the tapes.
• Lebanese Rivals Agree on Compromise Candidate
  After two weeks without a head of state, Lebanon's two rival political factions appear to agreed on a candidate for president. But the choice — army Gen. Michel Suleiman — is seen as a setback for Lebanon's ruling coalition.
• Putin Reviving Authoritarian Russia, Critics Warn
  Critics say a landslide parliamentary victory for the party of Russian President Vladimir Putin shows the Kremlin manipulated the elections to a shocking degree. Some fear Putin is reviving Soviet-style authoritarian control.
• New Hampshire Voters React to Romney's Speech
  As Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney spoke Thursday about his faith, voters in New Hampshire listened with interest.
• Romney Seeks to Put the Mormon Question to Rest
  Addressing his views on faith in a much-publicized address Thursday, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney — a Mormon — chose his words with care. How did evangelicals and others react to the speech?
• Have NBA's Knicks Lost the Knack for Success?
  The New York Knicks were once one of the proudest franchises in the National Basketball Association. Today, the team is dysfunctional on the court and in the front office.
• Mexico Targets Loggers to Protect Butterflies
  Monarch butterflies migrate south to Mexico each year in search of forest habitat. This year, they're getting some protection from Mexican authorities, who arrested 50 people and confiscated 6,000 tons of wood at an illegal logging site.
• Weighing the Impact of Iran's Uranium Program
  While a new U.S. intelligence report has found that Iran suspended efforts to build a nuclear weapon in 2003, experts say a big a part of the program remains intact: Iran is enriching uranium for fuel. But how efficient is the Iranian system?
• Retailers Fret over Holiday Sales
  Sales at big chain stores — such as Wal-Mart and Macy's — rose an average of 3 to 4 percent in November. But there are signs that consumers are becoming more careful about spending. The National Retail Federation expects an increase in holiday sales this year, but predicts that increase will be the smallest in five years.
• Ham for Hanukkah? It's a Bad Sign
  One of Manhattan's legendary gourmet shops had a little trouble with its holiday marketing. Balducci's put out signs advertising its hams as "delicious for Hanukkah." Not exactly kosher. Balducci's quickly took the signs down and apologized.

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