Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Former party chief now bucks the party process
  Former DFL State Party Chair Mike Erlandson has filed papers to run for Congress in the 5th Congressional District. Erlandson is bucking his party's endorsement of another candidate, and is getting help from his former boss -- the man who's retiring from that office.5:19 p.m.
• Northwest flight attendants vote to switch unions
  Flight attendants at Northwest Airlines are switching unions at a critical moment in negotiations with the company. If flight attendants do not agree on a new cost-cutting contract within 10 days, Northwest can impose pay and benefit cuts on them. The Association of Flight Attendants won its election at Northwest by promising a strong and savvy approach to negotiations.5:23 p.m.
• Animal cruelty may be sign of deeper human problems
  Several incidents in Minnesota involving the torture and killing of pets have generated outrage among newspaper letter-writers, Internet bloggers and animal welfare organizations.5:48 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• 'Creative Solutions' Possible, Israeli Official Says
  Israel's current mission in Gaza has two goals, says Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev: to win the release of an Israeli soldier held hostage in Southern Gaza, and to stop rocket attacks from northern Gaza. A prisoner exchange is not an option, the spokesman said -- but "creative solutions" are still possible. NPR's Robert Siegel talks with Regev.
• Alternative Star Power: L.A. Gets In On Veggie-Cars
  The technology is not new -- but cars fueled by vegetable oil have become a big hit in Los Angeles. As NPR's Amy Walters reports, one L.A. businessman is finding a ready market for used diesel Mercedes he converts to run on veggie-power.
• In the Gulf, a Coalition of the Floating
  NPR senior news Analyst Ted Koppel has just returned from the Middle East, where he found the coalition of the willing -- at sea. Pakistanis, Italians and others are working with the United States to protect shipping routes -- and the flow of oil. Robert Siegel speaks with Koppel.
• Violence Escalates in Afghanistan; Soldier Killed
  In Afghanistan, a string of recent bombings in Kabul and ongoing fighting in outlying areas have made this the most violent summer since the fall of the Taliban in 2001. Coalition forces say a soldier has died in a gun battle in the east of the country -- an area controlled primarily by U.S. troops.
• Study: Dry Seasons -- Not Brush -- Spur Wildfires
  A new study finds that heat waves are the most significant driving force in western wildfires. Since 1980, when fire activity increased sharply, the weather has mattered far more than the amount of built-up brush and other factors that are often blamed for destructive fires. Researchers say hot and early spring seasons make the forests tinder-dry by summer -- and more likely to burn out of control. As a result, they say, global warming could intensify fires in the American West.
• State Can Bar Same-Sex Unions, N.Y. Court Rules
  New York's highest court rules against same-sex unions, saying the state can bar gay couples from being legally married.
• New Jersey Reaches Deal on Budget
  Reporter Terry Sheridan tells Robert Siegel about the deal reached by lawmakers in New Jersey to end the impasse over the state budget. New Jersey's government has been shut down for close to a week while the governor and legislators fought over how to deal with a multi-billion-dollar gap in the budget. The government closure has affected everything from road construction to gambling in Atlantic City.
• Mosley's Intergalactic Coming-of-Age Tale: '47'
  Walter Mosley, the creator of the bestselling Easy Rawlings mysteries, has accomplished something remarkable with his young-adult novel 47, according to author Steven Barnes: "He used the struggles of one frightened boy to represent [a] common yearning."
• Israeli Army Clashes with Palestinian Militants
  The Israel Army steps up its offensive against Palestinian militants in Northern Gaza, pressing for the release of an abducted soldier. At least 16 Palestinians have been killed, including militant fighters and some civilians. One Israeli soldier has been killed, with two others injured.
• The City of Broad Shoulders -- Not of Trans Fats
  A powerful Chicago alderman has proposed that the city become the first in the United States to ban the use of trans fats in restaurants. Trans fats are considered the most unhealthy of all cooking oils. Michele Norris gets the skinny on trans fats from Kim Severson, a New York Times reporter and author of The Trans Fats Solution: Cooking and Shopping to Eliminate the Deadliest Fat from Your Diet.
• Calderon Claims Slim Victory in Divisive Election
  With nearly all the votes counted in Mexico's presidential vote, conservative candidate Felipe Calderon has a thin, but insurmountable lead. Calderon has declared victory. His rival, leftist Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, is contesting the results and has called a protest rally for Saturday.
• Lieberman, Rival Set for Primary Debate
  With Sen. Joe Lieberman (D-CT) trailing challenger Ned Lamont in most polls, the pair face off in a debate ahead of next month's Democratic primary. Lieberman has said that he will run as an independent if he loses his party's primary. Michele Norris talks with Ken Dautrich, professor of public policy at the University of Connecticut.
• Letters: Big Houses, the Interstate, and a Diva
  Michele Norris and Robert Siegel read from listeners' letters this week, about our story on big houses, our conversations about the interstate highway system, and our remembrance of mezzo soprano Lorraine Hunt Lieberson.
• Accused Soldier May Have Mental Disorder
  The case of Steven Dale Green, the soldier charged with raping an Iraqi woman and killing her family, is raising questions about the circumstances of his discharge from the Army on May 16. Officials have reportedly told news organizations that he was discharged because of a diagnosis of "antisocial personality disorder." NPR's Joanne Silberner explains what the diagnosis means and how it is typically treated.
• Overheated on the Highway
  Commentator Heather King tells about a road trip in Arizona when her car overheated on her way to Tucson. She is the author of Parched: A Memoir.

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