Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Mark Seeley discusses the mild weather
  Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer talks with University of Minnesota climatologist Mark Seeley.6:50 a.m.
• Northfield City Council to discuss allegations of mayoral misconduct
  On Saturday Northfield's City Council will decide what to do about the findings of a report issued earlier this week that shows that Mayor Lee Lansing exerted improper influence on behalf of his son.7:20 a.m.
• Homayoun Ershadi's strange trip to stardom
  There are many ways of becoming an actor. Take the story of an international movie star with a big role in the new adaptation of "The Kite Runner." Homayoun Ershadi got his big break sitting at a traffic light.7:25 a.m.
• Home for the holidays, home for good
  A young Minnesota man, who joined the National Guard to earn money for college, talks about getting back to civilian life after being deployed to Iraq for 16 months.7:40 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Baghdad Shoppers Venture Out, Even After Dark
  With violence down to the lowest levels since 2005, Iraqis are enjoying the holiday season out in the open. Popular marketplaces, like the Karada neighborhood, are jammed with shoppers, although there are some signs the city remains on edge.
• Iraq War Claims Hundreds of U.S. Troops
  More than 800 U.S. troops have lost their lives in Iraq from Feb. 1, when additional troops started arriving for the surge, through Dec. 21. The Department of Defense reports the death of another U.S. soldier in a suicide bombing. He died alongside five Iraqi civilians.
• Congress Funds War to Support Troops
  Congress this week approved spending that will fund the war in Iraq through the first quarter of next year. Part of the reason the war-funding measure passed is because Democrats concluded that the president was winning the public-relations battle over what it means to support the troops.
• Many Taxpayers Clueless
  If talking about taxes leaves you dazed and confused you may find solace in a new survey from Bankrate.com. It shows when it comes to taxes, three out of 10 Americans admit to feeling "clueless."
• Kenya's Upcoming Elections Bring Ethnic Tension
  Kenya's peace-loving reputation may be tested when Kenyans go to the polls next week to elect a president. The country's politics are rooted in ethnic rivalries between Kikuyu and Luo. With incumbent Mwai Kibaki, a Kikuyu, running against Raila Odinga, a Luo, tensions may rise.
• Top 10 Quotes of 2007
  "Don't tase me, bro" tops the year's list of quotes from the Yale Book of Quotations. It was uttered by a college student being ejected from a John Kerry speech. Also included: the Iranian president's claim: "We don't have homosexuals."
• German Restaurant Owner Makes Smoking Easier
  Smoking bans from Los Angeles to London have restaurant owners worried. But Michael Windisch, a restaurant owner in Germany, installed holes in the walls: one for your head, and two for your arms. So patrons can be technically outside while enjoying a smoke from the warmth inside.
• U.S. Troop Surge Quells Violence in Iraq
  There's a lull in the fighting in Baghdad as the surge in American troops helps to stabilize the capital. The U.S. military struck deals for peace with Iraqi militias on all sides and in the process gave up on religious reconciliation. That creates a fragile sense of calm.
• Investigators Seek More CIA Tapes
  Investigators from the House Intelligence Committee return to CIA headquarters to review documents about the destruction of videotapes that show harsh interrogation methods. Investigators also want to know about other tapes that were not destroyed. The CIA acknowledges having more tapes.
• New Orleans to Raze Public Housing
  The City Council of New Orleans votes unanimously to demolish four major housing projects. The move will change the face of the city. The vote came after a contentious six-hour hearing and violent protests outside the chambers where several demonstrators were arrested.
• Apple Settles Suit to Keep Secrets Safe
  Apple reaches a deal with a college student whose Web site leaked juicy tidbits about Apple products. The student agreed to shut down ThinkSecret.com, which has been an irritant to the company. Apple sued the site after it published details of a new computer model before its official launch.
• Unbeaten Patriots to Face Legendary Dolphins
  Two National Football League records will be at stake this weekend when the Miami Dolphins face the unbeaten New England Patriots. The Patriots are looking unstoppable, and one of the last teams standing in their way is the Dolphins.
• 'Daily Show' to Resume Despite Writers Strike
  Comedy Central says The Daily Show and sister program, The Colbert Report, will resume taping next month. Film and television writers are on strike. So John Stewart and fellow news satirist Steven Colbert will have to improvise their monologues and interviews.
• BBC Journalist Describes His Kidnapping in Gaza
  BBC correspondent Alan Johnston, who was abducted in the Gaza Strip earlier this year and held for nearly four months, writes a book about his ordeal. Kidnapped: And Other Dispatches describes his ordeal. He says a radio brought by guards offered a lifeline and psychological boost.
• Leading Presidential Hopefuls Become Indistinct
  Some presidential front-runners are slipping while some long-shots are looking like contenders. As 2007 closes, the big political stories in the presidential campaign are the unexpected rise of Republican Mike Huckabee and uncertainty about which Democrat will emerge victorious.

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