Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Gubernatorial candidates face farmers at Farmfest
  A Minnesota econonmic development program that's the creation of the Pawlenty administration came under fire Wednesday as the gubernatorial candidates spoke before crowd at Farmfest.5:20 p.m.
• Complaints arise in governor's race over incumbency advantages
  It's no secret that incumbency gives politicians certain advantages that many of their challengers can't match. Sometimes it's simply a higher public profile. But where to draw the line on using the advantages of office has become an issue in the Minnesota gubernatorial race.5:24 p.m.
• St. Paul mayor proposes tax hike to balance budget
  St. Paul Mayor Chris Coleman on Wednesday proposed to raise the city's property tax levy by 8.5 percent over last year. The mayor says raising taxes is necessary to plug a nearly $17 million budget deficit.5:44 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• A Teen Turns Her Back on Spanish TV Shows
  Youth Radio's Sandra Quel grew up watching racy telenovelas and game shows on Spanish-language TV alongside her mother. But she and many of her friends are embarrassed and turned off by a lot of what they see these days.
• In Brazil, Even Bad Music Is Good
  Bad music is something Americans love to hate. Commentator Michelle Mercer says we're not alone; Brazilians have their own brand of music that's so bad it's good.
• Capitol Hill Puts the 'French' Back in Its Fries
  Back in 2003, legislators angry at the French for their opposition of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq banned the word "French" from their cafeteria on Capitol Hill. But "Freedom Fries" and "Freedom Toast" are things of the past.
• It's Hot. Some Workers Feel It More than Others
  Oppressively hot weather has left many workers emitting sighs of relief as they enter air-conditioned office buildings. But there are many folks whose jobs keep them out in the heat -- and even make it worse.
• Israeli Forces Strike In Lebanon's North and South
  The Israeli Army sends thousands of troops deep into Lebanon, backed by artillery and airstrikes. Hezbollah guerrillas fired more than 200 rockets into northern Israel, where one civilian was killed. Israeli commandoes also engaged Hezbollah fighters in northeastern Lebanon, according to the Associated Press.
• Looking Back on Castro's Cuba
  NPR Senior News Analyst Daniel Schorr reflects on the situation in Cuba, and his own experiences with the now-ailing Cuban leader Fidel Castro.
• Deciphering the Status of Fidel Castro
  News of Cuban President Fidel Castro' health is hard to come by, thanks to what some refer to as the "Kremlinology" of Cuba. Journalists and partisans -- not to mention interested governmental parties, such as the CIA -- are left to decipher Castro's condition.
• U.S. Panel on Cuba Outlined Change
  Three years ago, a U.S. presidential commission was formed to look at ways to help Cuba become a modern functioning democracy. Just three weeks ago, the Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba released a report on ways to hasten the end of Fidel Castro's regime. Carlos Gutierrez, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, helped lead the panel.
• In Israel, a Family Buries Their Soldier Son
  So far, 36 Israeli soldiers have been killed in Israel's three-week-old offensive in southern Lebanon. Among the latest to die was Yonatan Einhorn, 22, who was killed Tuesday in heavy fighting with Hezbollah guerillas just north of the Israeli border. Einhorn was buried today in Jerusalem's military cemetery.
• Monitoring Teens' Media Intake Poses Challenges
  Bringing up teenagers has never been easy. But it could be argued that today’s parents have it harder than ever before, at least when it comes to regulating teenagers' access to a media landscape filled with what one critic has called an avalanche of crud.
• Green Berets Train a New Iraqi Elite Force
  Green Berets use an elite Ranger-style program to train Iraqi troops in Kirkuk. But the Iraqi trainees arrive with little prior training, and some can't read or write. Those who survive the program -- designed to weed out one in four applicants -- are assessed among Iraq's better troops.
• Kodak Seeks New Strategy in Face of Losses
  Eastman Kodak Co. says its losses increased in the second quarter -- but the company also announces that it is making big changes: It will outsource the manufacture of most of its cameras to a Singapore-based company. Analysts are split on the move.
• In Sturgis, a Clash over Motorcycle Rally
  Every August, the outskirts of South Dakota's Black Hills National Forest teem with thousands of motorcycles, as riders meet up in Sturgis for a huge rally. This year, the Lakota Tribe is upset with plans for a gigantic biker bar and concert venue not far from Bear Butte -- a mountain the tribe considers sacred.
• GAO: Border Security Worse than in 2003 Test
  U.S. border security has not improved in the past three years, according to the Government Accountability Office. In a test earlier this year, investigators used fake driver's licenses and birth certificates to enter the United States from Canada and Mexico. None were detained.
• U.S. Urges Int'l Force, Despite European Stance
  Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice maintains that calls for a cease-fire must be based on an international force to maintain the peace and a political agreement between the parties. But the European Union has called for an immediate end to the fighting.

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