All Things Considered for June 18, 2009 | Minnesota Public Radio News

Thursday, June 18, 2009

Minnesota Public Radio Stories

Writer recalls relative's wedding-night abduction nearly 90 years ago
June is a popular month for weddings in Minnesota. It's been that way for years. This evening, commentator Peg Guilfoyle plans to celebrate the anniversary of one unusual wedding that made headlines 90 years ago.4:54 p.m.
Dramatic slowdown in job losses last month
Minnesota employers cut 1,600 jobs in May, the smallest monthly loss since August 2008, according to figures released Thursday by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.5:20 p.m.
Rep. Peterson brawling over ethanol expansion
Agricultural leaders in the U.S. House continue to negotiate today on legislation designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and slow climate change. Minnesota congressman Collin Peterson, is leading a group of lawmakers from rural districts who are threatening to block the legislation.5:24 p.m.
Woman ordered to pay $1.9 million in music download case
A federal jury in Minneapolis has ruled a Minnesota woman violated several music copyrights in the nation's only file-sharing case to go to trial, and ordered her to pay $1.9 million in damages.5:50 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

Summers Sees Dramatic Shift With Banking Reforms
Lawrence Summers, the director of President Obama's National Economic Council, defends the president's financial reform plan, saying it will result in a "very different financial industry." Summers adds that having a new agency, separate from bank regulators, is the best way to protect consumers.
He Created A (Barrel) Monster ... And May Go To Jail
University student Joseph Carnevale built a 10-foot roadside monster out of stolen orange-and-white safety barrels in Raleigh, N.C. Already on probation, Carnevale could go to jail for the art. But hundreds of people have lobbied the city to drop the charges against him.
Good Dad, Bad Dad And Something In Between
In celebration of Father's Day, here are three enthralling books about a few different dads — not all of whom know best.
Protester: Tehran Turning Into 2 Cities
Protests in Iran continued Thursday as demonstrators wore black to mourn those killed in clashes throughout the week. An Iranian-American researcher in Tehran, who is a supporter of presidential challenger Mir Hossein Mousavi, says protesters are using the language and cultural traditions of the Islamic Republic to argue for their rights.
Expert: Iran Protests Full Of Symbolism
Iranian presidential candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi joined a massive crowd of his supporters Thursday on the streets of the capital, Tehran. Shahram Kholdi, a teaching fellow at the University of Manchester, in England, offers his insight on the political unrest in Iran.
Senate Apologizes For Slavery
In a resolution passed Thursday, the Senate acknowledges "the fundamental injustice, cruelty, brutality and inhumanity of slavery and Jim Crow laws." The resolution also makes clear it cannot be used to support reparations for slavery.
Battling Despair: One Mother's Search For A Job
Despite diligently applying for work every day for eight months, Sylvia Martinez still hasn't landed a job. The mother of three struggles to cope with her financial difficulties and the emotional stress — sometimes despair — of being jobless.
High Court: Convicts Have No Right To Test DNA
The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the U.S. Constitution does not give convicts the right to test DNA evidence from their cases. The court's 5-4 majority said such decisions are best left to the states.
Reporter: Amanda Knox 'Unflappable' In Testimony
Amanda Knox, an American exchange student accused of helping to kill her British roommate in Italy, took the stand in her own defense this week. Barbie Nadeau, correspondent for Newsweek and The Daily Beast, says evidence found in Knox's house could be troubling for the defense.
Dirty Projectors: Balancing Head And Heart
The experimental rock band based in New York draws on early vocal music, modern soul and other sources, defying categorization in the process. According to critic Will Hermes, the band's new album, Bitte Orca, is a breakthrough.