Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• LEED buildings catch on in Minnesota
  Minnesota has only six buildings that have earned the highest standard for environmentally-friendly structures. But that number is expected to grow in the next few years.5:20 p.m.
• Group tries going "green" the platinum way
  Live Green Live Smartplans to meet the strictest possible energy-efficiency standards for his home in order to prove that LEED certifications aren't limited to commercial buildings.5:25 p.m.
• Metro crime trends mirror national picture
  The FBI says violent crime in the U.S. increased slightly between 2005 to 2006, while the number of property crimes went down.5:50 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Actor Fred Thompson Explores Candidacy
  Fred Thompson begins his late bid for the Republican presidential nomination Monday by forming an organization to gauge how well he would do. Polls have consistently showed that the actor and former Tennessee senator would be a major factor if he ran. But who is Fred Thompson, and what would he bring to the race?
• Two Guantanamo Detainees' Cases Thrown Out
  U.S. military judges have thrown out terrorism-related charges against two prisoners held at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The rulings could jeopardize the Bush administration's efforts to mount war crimes tribunals at the detention camp.
• Gates, Afghan Leader Diverge On Iran
  Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is in Afghanistan again, and things haven't improved much since his first trip in January. Gates and President Hamid Karzai seem at odds over Iran. On Monday, Gates spoke of Iranian weapons coming into the country, and Karzai called Iran "one of Afghanistan's closest allies and partners."
• New Hampshire and Smoking: Live Free, Die Less?
  Commentator Andrei Codrescu recently spent a weekend in Portsmouth, N.H. He remarks on the low crime statistics and the local customs and weather. Then, he performs poems to music at a jazz festival.
• Naked Protester Must Pay Attorney Fees
  The Supreme Court has ruled unanimously that a naked peace demonstrator must pay her own attorney fees.
• New Home Fertility Test Kits for Men, Women
  Fertell, a new, at-home fertility test, includes a male test for sperm motility and a female test for a follicle-stimulating hormone. The results provide just one indication of a couple's ability to reproduce, but one that has primary significance. The test kits are expected to sell for about $100.
• U.S. Plans for Post-War Iraq Emerging
  The United States is planning for a long-term presence in Iraq. The White House is openly talking about a presence there similar to the U.S. presence in Korea. Construction has started on a handful of huge bases, and the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad is being built at quite a clip — it will be the largest embassy in the world.
• Violence Rages in Western Baghdad
  U.S. efforts to stem insurgent and sectarian violence in western Baghdad are moving more slowly than hoped. Despite increased numbers of troops in the area, sectarian cleansing continues. Violence ravages neighborhoods, and troops are under constant fire from Sunni and Shiite extremists.
• Rep. Jefferson Indicted on Fraud, Bribery Counts
  Nine-term Democratic Rep. William Jefferson of Louisiana was indicted Monday on 16 federal counts of bribery, racketeering, fraud and money laundering. The indictment includes charges that he paid off a Nigerian official. Almost two years ago, investigators found $90,000 in cash in Jefferson's freezer.
• Tiny Island Makes Climate a Priority
  Palau, a tiny island nation 600 miles southeast of the Philippines, boasts incredible biodiversity and some of the world's best diving — and it is on the frontline of the global-warming debate.
• Was the Huge Hog a Wild Lie? Behind a Boy's Story
  Last week, we reported that a 1,051-pound, 9-foot-4-inch wild boar was shot by an 11-year-old Alabama boy. At the time, it was thought to be a contender for a wild hog record. But Rhonda Blissitt and her husband came forward to say that the hog was actually a domesticated pig raised on their farm.
• Publishers Warm to Google's Book Search
  When Google announced in 2004 that it would digitize every book in the world, responses ranged from skepticism to outrage, as the publishing industry worried that the project would hurt sales. But some publishers say Book Search has turned out to be a boon for them.
• Democrats Gather to Watch Candidates' Debate
  Groups of Democrats gathered last night to watch candidates for their party's presidential nomination debate in Manchester, N.H.
• Bhutto Sees Return to Pakistan Aiding Democracy
  Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto is in self-exile outside Pakistan but faces prosecution should she return. Even so, she has vowed to return to Pakistan to lead her party in elections later this year. Bhutto discusses her political prospects and the country's current ruler, Gen. Pervez Musharraf.
• Savor the Season with a Picnic of Good Books
  Summer is the season we can finally tackle the books that have been piling up on our desks and forming small mountains on the floor. Book critic Alan Cheuse offers a selection of some of the best books of late spring and early summer, and some classics that are always present in his literary landscape.

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