All Things Considered for April 23, 2012 | Minnesota Public Radio News

Monday, April 23, 2012

Minnesota Public Radio Stories

Vote could bring fiber-optic broadband access to farms
A vote in Sibley County to bring high-speed access to the area affects everything from school technology programs to the county's multimillion-dollar agriculture industry.4:49 p.m.
Minn. to give feds $15M in Medicaid cash
Minnesota will turn over to the federal government about $15 million in Medicaid money donated to the state by an HMO last year.5:20 p.m.
Minnesota taps VCU's Teague as athletic director
New University of Minnesota athletic director Norwood Teague says he can't wait to be part of the Big Ten.5:49 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

Romney Takes Rubio On Road, Testing A Potential Running Mate
Monday was the first time GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, often talked about as a vice presidential pick, have campaigned together. But Romney said the process of choosing his running mate has barely gotten started.
When Politicians Slip, Video Trackers Are There
U.S. election campaigns have become gaffe-centric. Candidates live in fear of letting slip that sentence, or half-sentence, that makes the opposition's day. Catching those moments is the job of the video trackers. They're usually young people, fresh out of college, looking for a way into politics.
The California Taco Trail: 'How Mexican Food Conquered America'
Once upon a time, tacos were a Mexican snack. Now they're an all-American institution. Gustavo Arellano leads us across Southern California in search of the roots of the American taco.
Egyptians Warily Await Final Slate Of Candidates
Once excited about the prospect of their first, free presidential elections, Egyptian voters are growing frustrated. Many don't know who the candidates are or what they stand for. And the recent disqualification of 10 candidates has only complicated the race.
West Bank Outpost Ignites Political Battle
Israel's highest court has ruled that Ulpana, a Jewish settlement outpost in the West Bank, was built on Palestinian land and should be torn down. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government is now looking for a way to keep it in place. The issue could threaten the survival of Netanyahu's government.
President Obama Takes Steps To End Mass Atrocities
President Obama toured the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., on Monday with Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel. In a speech there afterward, Obama announced a series of steps to prevent mass atrocities. An executive order signed last night targets those who use information and communication technology in pursuit of human rights abuses.
Teen's Suicide Prompts Anti-Bullying Editorial
The Sioux City Journal ran a front page anti-bullying editorial on Sunday, days after a local teenager's suicide. Kenneth Weishuhn, came out several weeks ago, and the 14-year-old faced anti-gay sentiment and bullying afterwards. Melissa Block talks with Mitch Pugh the Iowa paper's editor, about the paper's decision to speak out.
In Digital Finance Race, Senate Uses Horse And Buggy
Anyone in America with an Internet connection can know how much presidential candidates are raising and spending within minutes of each filing deadline. Ditto for House members. But the U.S. Senate still goes old school, with mailed-in paperwork, typewriters and a reading room with a photocopier.
Murdochs, News Corp Face Big Week Of Investigations
This is a big week for Rupert and James Murdoch. The father and son face more questions from a wide-ranging judicial investigation into press abuses at British units of News Corporation: tabloid phone hacking, computer hacking and a police bribery scandal. Monday marked yet another embarrassing day for News Corp and the Murdochs as Sky News acknowledged it had hacked into the email of the target of two stories, despite explicitly telling the inquiry in September it had not been involved in any hacking.
Dutch PM Resigns, Clears Way For Elections
Mark Rutte, the Dutch prime minister, is tendering his government's resignation to Queen Beatrix Monday, clearing the way for elections. The decision comes after far-right politician Geert Wilders ended Rutte's majority in Parliament by withdrawing his support for planned budget cuts to meet European Union deficit limits. The government crisis has plunged the Netherlands into political uncertainty just as the eurozone sovereign debt crisis is heating up again. NPR's Philip Reeves has the story.