What’s on MPR News today? 12/18/17

Monday December 18, 2017

(Subject to change as events dictate)

9 a.m. – MPR News with Kerri Miller (Stephanie Curtis hosts)
Ken Rudin discusses the GOP tax bill, Doug Jones’ victory in the Alabama Senate race and new Republican attacks on Robert Mueller and the special council’s office.

9:20 a.m. – Jonathan Eig’s biography, “Ali: A Life,” explores the complexities of Mohammed Ali. Eig’s book goes beyond Ali’s career and delves into what inspired him to become a Muslim and a reluctant activist.

10 a.m.- 1A with Joshua Johnson
Is nature a “white thing”? A 2011 National Park Service survey found that just 7 percent of all park system visitors were black. But there is a growing effort to nurture the relationship between African-Americans and the outdoors. Online clubs and social media groups geared at getting African-Americans into the wilderness are having real impact.

Guests: Rue Mapp, founder and CEO, Outdoor Afro; Carolyn Finney, assistant professor in Department of Geography, Kentucky University; J. Drew Lanham, Alumni Distinguished Professor of Wildlife Ecology, Clemson University; Tyrhee Moore, mountaineer; outdoor education advocate.

11 a.m. – MPR News with Tom Weber
In a series of conversations, MPR News host Tom Weber talks with Minnesota business leaders who have stepped down from their roles in 2017. Today, he talks with Richard Davis, the former CEO of Minneapolis-based U.S Bancorp, about his career and changes in banking since he started as a teller in 1985. Davis, who worked his way up the ranks, steered U.S. bank through global financial crisis in 2007. Davis talks about his experience at U.S. Bank and his thoughts on efforts in Washington to roll back regulations on financial institutions.

11:30 a.m. -An interview with Marlon James, author of “A Brief History of Seven Killings.” When he learned that officer Jeronimo Yanez was found not guilty on all charges for the shooting of Philando Castile, he used social media to voice his frustrations about racism and being a “big, black guy”. His essay, titled “Smaller, and Smaller, and Smaller” went viral.

12 p.m. – MPR News Presents
From the Commonwealth Club of California’s “Climate One” series: “Bill Nye: Science Guy.” Host Greg Dalton interviews Bill Nye, and the documentary producer Jason Sussberg, about the importance of scientific thinking and innovation.

1 p.m. – The Takeaway
The price that homeowners are will to pay for beachfront property that’s falling into the ocean.

2 p.m. – BBC NewsHour
The UN human rights chief tells NewsHour he assumes Aung San Suu Kyi personally sanctioned Myanmar’s violent campaign against the Rohingya

3 p.m. – All Things Considered
Scott Horsley reports on President Trump’s national security strategy; Sonari Glinton provides details on California’s new rules on carbs; Tess Taylor has a roundup of America in poetry.

7 p.m. – The World

Katrin Jacobsdottir just started her new job as Iceland’s prime minister last month. She’s an environmentalist and the leader of the country’s Green-Left Movement. And she talks with host Marco Werman about everything from what it’s like to lead a coalition that straddles the left-right political divide to her habit of commuting by bicycle.

Also: Reaction to President Trump’s announcement of a new US security strategy, which is expected to describe Russia and China as America’s main challengers on the world stage. Plus, we hear how the CIA typically shares information with foreign governments. This weekend Russia thanked the CIA for passing along information that helped foil a terror attack in St. Petersburg.

Also, reporter Phillip Martin profiles a young man from El Salvador who was arrested recently as part of a crackdown on gang activity on Nantucket.

8 p.m. – Fresh Air
Seafood. Some fish you might not be familiar with, that are not threatened, and are good to eat. Terry Gross talks with former chef Barton Seaver, who directs the sustainable seafood and health initiative at Harvard.

Also: Jennifer Eagan talks about her novel Manhatten Beach, which is on book critic Maureen’s top ten list.