Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• When houses go empty, they look for squatters
  One night a week, St. Paul city inspectors make surprise visits to registered vacant buildings, looking for people who may be living there illegally.7:20 a.m.
• Governor, lawmakers look for places to cut
  State lawmakers will continue to analyze the budget this week to look at possible programs to cut in the face of a looming budget deficit.7:45 a.m.
• Future Tense with Jon Gordon
  A documentarian wants to implant a camera in his prosthetic eye.8:20 a.m.
• MnDOT improves minority hiring record
  The Minnesota Department of Transportation says the hiring of so-called Disadvantaged Business Enterprises exceeded the agency's goal.8:25 a.m.
• International stocks rally amid optimism over possible stimulus package
  Minnesota Public Radio's chief economics correspondent Chris Farrell discusses the latest economic news.11:25 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Fears Of Unrest Prompt Bailout Of China Exporters
  The current economic crisis signals a shift in China's role as factory to the world. As American consumers buy less of China's exports, many factories and companies in the industrial city of Dongguan are seeing sales fall off and production lines close.
• 'N.Y. Times' Editor: Good Journalism Is Not Cheap
  Newspapers that so often tell people what's happening are now facing the question of what will happen to them. Even a paper the size of The New York Times isn't immune. But Editor Bill Keller says his paper is still making a profit, though Wall Street has hammered the company's stock price.
• Illinois Farmer Faces A Hard Choice That Cuts Deep
  The costs of raising cattle have gone up in recent years — but the price of cattle has not kept pace. That has put farmer Dave Burt in a bad position in southern Illinois. He says farming expenses are now "so staggeringly high, it's frightening."
• Smugglers' Tunnels In Gaza Strip Booming
  Israel imposed an economic blockade on Gaza when the radical Islamic group Hamas seized control last year. To bring in goods — from weapons to cigarettes — smugglers are using tunnels under the Gaza-Egypt border. Smuggling was once mainly the work of a few people derided as criminals. Hamas now calls it a patriotic duty, and business is booming.
• Guatemalan Official: Burning Devil Dirties The Air
  Guatemalans on Sunday celebrated a beloved tradition: "Burning of the Devil." Across the country, people lit bonfires and burned figures of Satan as a way to symbolically cleanse their houses. But the minister of the environment, for the first time, had asked Guatemalans not to burn the devils because it pollutes the air.
• Hearing Begins Monday For Sept. 11 Suspects
  In Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a hearing gets under way for five suspects in the 9/11 attacks. This is the first time families of some of the victims will be there watching. The hearing also marks something of a last stand for the Bush administration and its efforts to try terrorism suspects before military commissions. Renee Montagne talks with Carol Rosenberg of The Miami Herald, who has covered Guantanamo since the first detainees arrived in 2002.
• For Teen Math Whiz, Aptitude Has Ups And Downs
  Raphael-Joel Lim of Indianapolis was a finalist for the Siemens Competition in Math, Science and Technology, the most coveted science prize awarded to American high school students. His research project has been widely praised for its originality and depth. But being a 17-year-old genius can be a blessing and a burden.
• Why Congress Received Automakers Differently
  A lot of people have been asking why Detroit's Big Three automakers have experienced such a different reception on Capitol Hill than other sectors of the economy that are hurting. David Leonhardt, who writes about economics for The New York Times, says one reason is that banks can collapse overnight, while that's not true of the car industry.
• No Holiday Break Yet For Lawmakers
  Congress is in session this week to deal with the economic crisis in the car manufacturing industry. Over the weekend, President-elect Barack Obama gave his support to congressional action to provide relief for the auto industry. Obama has also been very busy on other policy and personnel issues.
• Florida, Oklahoma To Play For Championship
  The Florida Gators will take on the Oklahoma Sooners for the BCS national title Jan. 8 in Miami. The Gators and Sooners each carry 12-1 records into the title game after winning their respective conference championships over the weekend.
• David Gregory Named NBC's 'Meet The Press' Host
  NBC has announced that White House correspondent David Gregory will be the new host of Meet the Press. Tom Brokaw has been filling in as moderator since Tim Russert died in June. The show dominates the Sunday morning political landscape. It premiered in November 1947.
• Falling Prices Take Toll On Municipal Recycling
  Prices are plummeting for recycled materials such as plastic and paper. Cities that used to earn revenues now get little or nothing for those commodities — or pay to have them hauled as garbage.
• New York Giants' Troubles Don't Dwarf Fan Support
  It's been a roller-coaster month for the New York Giants. The NFL football team suffered a humiliating loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday. Yet the Giants managed to clinch their division. Last month, star receiver Plaxico Burress accidentally shot himself with an illegal gun. With all the distractions, fans are trying to focus on football.
• You Tell Us: Is The Economy A Party Pooper?
  With the economy in a tailspin, many people may not feel like partying. General Motors' and Fannie Mae's holiday parties were canceled. Other companies are scaling back at a time when people are being fired. What's your company doing this holiday season?
• Gas Prices At Their Lowest Level In Nearly 5 Years
  A new survey of gas prices shows the average price for a gallon of regular is now $1.75. Gas prices are at their lowest level in nearly five years, according to Lundberg Survey Inc. Gas is falling along with the price of oil, which recently traded at $40 a barrel. The survey also points to the city with the lowest gas price: Cheyenne, Wyo., where people can fill up for $1.46 a gallon.

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