Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• MPCA staff at odds on stopping spread of contamination from 3M plant
  The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's plan for cleaning up PFCs from the 3M plant in Cottage Grove is under question. As a result of MPR's investigation, the MPCA commissioner says he will bring in an independent third party to review his agency's proposal to stop the spread of PFC contamination.4:50 p.m.
• Eagan Marine killed in Iraq
  Marine Lance Cpl. Daniel Olsen, a standout musician at Eagan High School a few years ago, was shot and killed in Iraq on Sunday, his family said. Olsen was 20.5:15 p.m.
• Valarie Kaur's search for America after 9/11
  After the Sept. 11 attacks -- appearance sometimes affected how you were treated in this country. When a Sikh man, wearing a turban, was gunned down in Arizona, it changed college student, Valarie Kaur's life. She ended up making a film about what it means to be American.5:22 p.m.
• Pioneer of Internet leaves the U of M
  Internet Gopher was developed at the University of Minnesota. Mark McCahill was one of the researchers behind that, and he's even credited with coining the term "surfing the 'net."5:50 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Blair Calls for Direct Talks with Iran on Seized Marines
  British Prime Minister Tony Blair's office says it has made its first contact with Iran's chief government negotiator, in an effort to obtain the release of the 15 British military personnel detained in Iran. Prime Minister Blair's Downing Street office said "both sides share a desire for an early resolution to this issue through direct talks."
• Negroponte Defends Iraq's Maliki, Seeing Progress
  Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is "is trying his very best to be a national, and not a sectarian, leader," says Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte. The diplomat also tells Melissa Block that he is optimistic about Iraq's oil and de-Baathification policies.
• As Foreclosures Rise, Analyst Predicts Wide Impact
  There are more signs that the overall housing market will take a hit from the woes of the subprime mortgage sector. The real estate industry's main trade group expects that unsold homes will pile up as foreclosures mount. That is likely to slow the pace of home sales in coming months.
• Feingold Calls on Bush to Alter Iraq Stance
  President Bush, not Congress, needs to compromise on the language of the Iraq Funding Bill, says Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI). He says the nation spoke loudly in the 2006 midterm elections and the president has a responsibility to end the war. Feingold has co-authored a bill to cut funding for the war in 2008.
• Soaring Competition: Trampoline World Cup
  This week, the best trampoline athletes in the world are competing for World Cup titles, with competitions in Lake Placid, N.Y., and Quebec City. The heavy favorites are Russia, the Ukraine and China. American trampoline artists say their sport sometimes doesn't get the appreciation it reserves.
• Deep in the Colombian Jungle, Coca Still Thrives
  For seven years, the United States has sprayed a deadly defoliant on Colombia's coca fields. Some credit the program with a sharp drop in violence in that nation. But in remote, lawless regions, cocaine production — and the violence it entails — remains strong.
• GOP Faces a Wide, and Shifting, Presidential Field
  With President Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney off the ballot next year, the Republican Party is without an obvious White House candidate. The result is a growing — and confusing — Republican field. So far, the identity of a true Republican front-runner remains a mystery.
• Somalia Sees Lull in Fighting, But Chaos Reigns
  Diplomats from the United States, Europe, and Africa met in Cairo today to search for ways to stop the fighting in Somalia. There, Somali government troops and their Ethiopian allies are battling insurgents linked to the Council of Islamic Courts, which was driven from power in February.
• Baghdad Markets Draw Insurgent Bomb Attacks
  In the past month in Baghdad, six markets have been bombed. One of the biggest death tolls this year took place in another market bombing in the northern city of Tal Afar, where 157 people were killed. For insurgents these open-air markets are attractive targets, because casualty figures are often large.
• Florida's Gators Turn Into Title Factory
  The University of Florida Gators are enjoying an unprecedented run of success in NCAA Division I athletics, winning the 2006 men's basketball championship, the 2006/2007 football national championship and this year's men's basketball championship.
• The Clinical Definition of Depression May Change
  Currently, people experiencing symptoms of depression after the loss of a loved one aren't classified as clinically depressed because the symptoms are thought to be a normal reaction. A group of researchers think other life experiences, such as divorce and job loss, fit the same category.
• Tribal Leaders Raise Army on Pakistani Border
  From Pakistan come reports of tribal leaders trying to raise a small army to kick out foreign al-Qaida-linked militants who have been living in their midst. Thousands of tribesmen have reportedly gathered in South Waziristan, near the border with Afghanistan.
• Martin Sexton, Singing a Song of Failure
  Self-described troubadour Martin Sexton has risen from busking on the streets of Boston and Harvard Square to making music at his country cabin in the Adirondacks. Sexton's new CD, Seeds, offers thanks for something unusual: failure.
• French Train Sets Speed Mark at 357 MPH
  A French train has broken the world speed record for trains traveling on conventional tracks. The V150 train hit 357.2 miles per hour as it zipped through the French countryside. For the record attempt, the train was using extra-large wheels and was aided by higher-than-usual voltage. We listen to some of the highlights of the record-breaking event.
• Immigration Plan Puts Price on Visa
  The White House is floating a proposal to change immigration laws to stop adult siblings and adult children from getting family unification visas to join a relative in the United States. The new plan would require immigrants with temporary work visas who want to apply to stay permanently to return home and pay $10,000 to submit the application.

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