Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Audit: Capitol security inadequate
  Minnesota's Legislative Auditor says there are serious security vulnerabilities in the state Capitol and surrounding buildings. The auditor's report presented to the Legislature this morning calls for taking steps to protect the seat of state government and the people who visit it. But the recommendations are controversial.4:44 p.m.
• Instant runoff voting gets Supreme Court hearing
  The Minnesota Supreme Court heard arguments today on whether so-called instant runoff voting is unconstitutional. Opponents of the system want to block Minneapolis from implementing instant runoff voting for its municipal elections this fall.5:19 p.m.
• Defense lays out case in Minneapolis police corruption trial
  Lawyers for Minneapolis police officer Mike Roberts called their first witnesses as the defense began its arguments in a police corruption trial.5:45 p.m.
• House approves emergency funding plan
  The Minnesota House passed legislation to keep state government running at current base funding levels if an agreement isn't reached on a new two-year budget.5:49 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• 'America's Battalion' Leads Thrust In Afghanistan
  The Marines known as "America's Battalion" are heading to Afghanistan as part of the 21,000 additional forces President Obama is deploying to bolster the war effort. The mission of these Marines will take them to places American forces have rarely been in southern Afghanistan, the heart of the Taliban militant operations.
• Struggling To Keep Up As Credit Card Rates Rise
  As consumers like Carole Hodges struggle to get out from under a mountain of debt, credit card companies often slap them with a new interest rate that's double or triple what they were paying in the first place. Congress is working on legislation to rein in some of these practices.
• 'Previously, On ...': For TV Catch-Ups, A Golden Age
  Lost, Big Love, Dexter — TV's wealth of heavily plotted serial dramas means heavy reliance on that episode-opening recap that brings new viewers up to speed. It's an art — especially if you don't want spoilers.
• Interrogation Dissident Testifies On Methods
  A Senate Judiciary subcommittee held a hearing Wednesday with a witness who warned the Bush administration against harsh interrogation techniques. Former FBI agent Ali Soufan interrogated Abu Zubaydah. He called the harsh methods ineffective.
• White House In U-Turn On Abuse Photos
  In a court hearing last month, the Obama administration said it would release Pentagon photos of prisoner abuse by May 28. But as military and foreign policy experts protest the decision, the White House is now saying releasing the photos would endanger U.S. troops.
• Were Crash Pilots Suffering From Fatigue?
  The National Transportation Safety Board's hearings into the crash of a commuter jet near Buffalo in February raised this question about the pilot and the co-pilot: Were they suffering from fatigue? Patrick Smith, Salon.com's Ask the Pilot columnist, and author of Ask the Pilot: Everything You Need to Know About Air Travel, offers his insight.
• America's Cup Teams Trade Course For Courtroom
  Yacht racing is generally perceived as a genteel sport, but that's not the case with the upcoming America's Cup. Insults and allegations of bogus yacht clubs have clouded the skies as the billionaire backers of the two race teams face off in what has become a nasty legal battle with more twists than a sailor's knot.
• Harsh Interrogation Isn't Reliable
  Former Vice President Dick Cheney asserts that harsh interrogation techniques resulted in information that saved hundreds of thousands of lives. NPR Senior News Analyst Daniel Schorr observes the case of Ibn al-Sheik al-Libi, who apparently provided bad information to the CIA that was used to bolster the case for the war in Iraq.
• Women Dominate Supreme Court Short List
  President Obama is expected to nominate the next Supreme Court justice soon. Here, an overview of the names most often mentioned — and why some are long shots at best.
• How Would Job Ad For Supreme Court Justice Look?
  You are unlikely to find the posting for a Supreme Court Justice on Craigslist, but if you did, you might also find: The Constitution guarantees no furlough days and no cut in salary — nor does it specify any qualifications for the job. Perks include: cozy office with fireplace and office art work on loan from the Smithsonian.

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