Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Consumers have a year to prepare for digital TV
  The switch to digital-only TV broadcasts is about a year away. The switch will be an especially big deal in Minnesota because about a quarter of households rely on antennas to receive TV signals.7:20 a.m.
• Capturing dark beauties on paper
  The ugly duckling of the Order Lepidoptera is the moth. No butterfly would be caught dead near one. But artist Joseph Scheer parades the hidden beauty of these creatures.7:24 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Eating a Lot of Meats Linked to Number of Cancers
  A new medical study links high consumption of red and processed meats to an increased risk of different forms of cancer. Health experts already knew red meat increased the risk of colon cancer. Now researchers have found an increased risk for a number of other cancers, as well.
• When Good Foreign Films Miss the Oscars
  Some well-received foreign films are coming into movie theaters this month — but several are not eligible for a foreign-language Oscar. One is The Band's Visit, about an Egyptian police band that gets lost in Israel; another is The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, even though it is entirely in French. So, you might ask, what qualifies a film for the foreign-language Oscar category?
• Brits OK Saying 'Merry Christmas'
  You have permission to say "Merry Christmas" instead of "Happy Holidays." That news comes from London. Bombings in 2005 led Britons to ask if Muslims were being properly integrated. However that debate turns out, some Hindus, Sikhs, and Muslims say they don't expect Christmas to be toned down.
• Trapped in a Room of Convenience
  A British man named David Leggat once took a survival course. But he may never have expected to use his training for this. He stepped into a men's bathroom. The door jammed. And then the handle fell off. The bathroom was at a lawn bowling club, hardly used this time of year. Which is why he was stuck in freezing temperatures for four days.
• When Iraq's Middle Class Flee, They Often Get Poor
  Some Iraqi refugees in Syria are stuck in a no-man's land. Those who want to return home to Iraq cannot do so, as Iraq's central government says it can't cope with a large influx of Iraqis. Aid organizations say refugees slip into poverty because they're mostly middle-class professionals who lack the skills for a black-market economy.
• India's Gujarat State May Signal Political Future
  Today people in the Indian state of Gujarat are heading to the polls to vote in assembly elections. The western state is one of India's most economically developed regions and a place where political trends often mirror those that play out on the national stage.
• Hayden to Testify on CIA Tapes to Senate Panel
  CIA Director Michael Hayden testifies today before the Senate Intelligence Committee about the videotaping of the agency's interrogations of detainees. Those tapes were subsequently destroyed, and members of Congress from both parties hope to use the closed door session to find out why.
• Graham: Senate Panel Had No Word of Tapes
  From 2001 to 2003, the Senate Intelligence Committee was not briefed on details of the CIA's interrogation tactics, and heard no mention of videotapes of the interrogations, says Former Sen. Bob Graham. The Florida Democrat chaired the panel from 2001 through 2003. The panel questions CIA Director Michael Hayden about the videotapes Tuesday.
• Fed Rate Cut Expected; Could Bolster Lending
  The Federal Reserve holds its last meeting of 2007 today, where it is expected to announce a cut in interest rates of 25 basis points (a quarter of a percentage point). The cut would be a reversal of the Fed's earlier movement; at the end of October, the it signaled that it didn't expect to cut rates again soon.
• Harvard Will Extend Aid to Middle Class Students
  Harvard University is significantly expanding its financial aid for middle and upper-middle class families. The changes will lower tuition bills by thousands of dollars for families earning up to $180,000 dollars a year.
• Thousands Bid Farewell to Evel Knievel
  The funeral for daredevil Evel Knievel was held Monday in his hometown of Butte, Mont. Thousands of people came out in tribute to the motorcycle stunt rider who became a cultural icon in the 1960s and '70s.
• Black Is Contrite, Solely About the Share Price
  Conrad Black once ruled the third-largest newspaper business in the world. Now he's heading to jail for six and a half years. The Canadian former newspaper tycoon was convicted of lining his pockets with millions of dollars that should have gone to the company he founded.
• In Congress, Complicated Fight to Ease AMT Fears
  One of the top priorities before Congress adjourns for the holidays is a bill that would prevent more than 20 million middle-class Americans from having to pay the alternative minimum tax in 2008. The Senate recently approved a repair to the rule, but neglected to pay for it with spending cuts.
• Sentencing Panel May Cut Crack Cocaine Terms
  Nearly 20,000 people convicted of drug offenses could find out Tuesday if they'll be spending less time in prison. The U.S. Sentencing Commission may reduce the extra punishment that's given for crimes involving crack, as compared to powdered, cocaine. The Supreme Court ruled that federal judges may give lighter sentences to crack cocaine defendants than has been required.
• Putin Chooses Successor
  Host Steve Inskeep discusses the man that Russian President Vladimir Putin has hand-picked to be his successor.

Resources

• Future Tense®
• Marketplace Morning Report®
• Mark Seeley's WeatherTalk

Services

• Hourly Newscast
• HD Radio
• iPhone App / Mobile
• E-mail newsletters
• RSS feeds
• Podcasts
• Submit your photos
• Videos
• Weather
• Most e-mailed stories

Become a Sponsor