Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Up and coming novelist Dinaw Mengestu gets rave reviews for new book
  Novelist Dinaw Mengestu's star is rising. He was recently named by the New Yorker as one of the top 20 writers under the age of 40 worth watching. He talked with MPR's Euan Kerr about his new book, "How to Read the Air."4:18 p.m.
• Art Hounds
  Each week Minnesota Public Radio News asks three people from the Minnesota arts scene to be "Art Hounds." Their job is to step outside their own work and hunt down something exciting that's going on in local arts.4:47 p.m.
• Demand at rural food shelves keeps rising
  Economists say the recession is technically over, but there are still plenty of signs of struggle in rural Minnesota. You need only look at Itasca County, where more families are seeking help from food shelves and social service agencies.5:47 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Explorer Goes To The Ends Of The Earth In One Year
  Since January, polar explorer Eric Larsen has reached the North and South Poles and the summit of Mount Everest. It's the first time somebody has accomplished all three in single year. Larsen used the adventure to boost awareness of climate change.
• How To Win Doctors And Influence Prescriptions
  NPR NEWS INVESTIGATION: Drugmakers systematically select physicians to speak on behalf of their products. The doctors believe they are being recruited to persuade other doctors to use a drug, but the primary target of the speaking is the doctor himself. And the resulting sales can be huge.
• Iran's Supreme Leader Seeks To Repair Reputation
  A trip by Iran's supreme leader to the holy city of Qom is meant to demonstrate that Iran's top clerics continue to support him. The Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was openly criticized after aligning with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad following last year's tumultuous elections.
• 'Sticky' Bombs, Guns With Silencers Take Toll In Iraq
  Violence in Iraq remains well below the levels of 2007, but there has been a wave of targeted killings in recent months. The U.S. military says that may reflect improved measures by Iraqi forces to prevent blockbuster attacks. But Iraqis are unnerved by the killings.
• Democratic Voters Can't Match 'Supra-Energized Republicans'
  The Pew Research Center's latest polling shows a boost in interest about the election among Democrats -- but also that Republicans remain much more energized.
• A Look At The Lives Of Gay Teens
  With the recent group of suicides by gay teens, we a take a look at the lives of gay teenagers. NPR's Robert Siegel talks to Ritch Savin Williams, a professor of developmental psychology at Cornell University. He specializes in gay, lesbian, and bisexual research, and his latest book is The New Gay Teenager.
• Penthouse Founder Bob Guccione Dies At 79
  Bob Guccione, founder of Penthouse magazine, has died at age 79.
• Japanese Companies Go English-Only; Headaches, Outrage Follow
  Japanese people have been taking English classes for decades -- but mostly as an academic exercise. Now some businesses in Japan are requiring that all their employees speak English. And that's set off a range of reactions.
• Longtime Michigan Rep. Dingell Faces Fight
  In this year's midterm election, some Democrats who've always coasted to re-election are suddenly facing new, fresh competition. One of these is the longtime Michigan congressman John Dingell of Michigan.
• Sen. Cornyn On Bipartisanship, Health Care
  With only a couple of weeks until the elections, many races are tightening up. NPR's Robert Siegel talks with the National Republican Senatorial Committee chairman, Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, about bipartisanship, health care and the future balance in the Senate.

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