Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Music in a war zone
  A Fergus Falls couple is sending hundreds of musical instruments to soldiers deployed in Iraq.6:50 a.m.
• Murphy Oil owners want to expand in Superior
  Some experts blame recent gas price spikes on lack of refineries in the upper Midwest. Now there are plans for a new oil refinery in South Dakota, and in Wisconsin there's a major expansion proposed for a refinery in Superior.7:20 a.m.
• Waiting on the home front
  As part of our coverage of Minnesota National Guard troops serving in Iraq, we have been checking in with Nicky Inskeep, whose husband, Jason, just returned from Iraq. Nicky is also the Guard and just finished her annual training; we asked her to share her thoughts while she was there.7:25 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Political Video Blogger Judges Democrats' Debate
  James Kotecki, a political video blogger on YouTube, says the questions were more emotionally compelling than ever, but the candidates missed an opportunity to be unique. Kotecki talks about the Democratic presidential debate, sponsored by YouTube and CNN, with Steve Inskeep.
• Prince Releases 'Planet Earth' CD
  Planet Earth, the new CD by Prince, is being released in the U.S. Prince caused a stir in the U.K. recently when he gave away nearly 3 million copies of the album with a British newspaper. It was great news for his fans, but a loss for his label and record shops.
• Colombia Launches Hearts and Minds Campaign
  To take control of his country, Colombian President Alvaro Uribe has used army offensives and aerial fumigation of drug crops to undercut funding for Marxist rebels. Now Colombia has launched a "hearts and minds" campaign in 53 communities.
• Bon Jovi Wants Energy Drink Makers to Change Name
  Jon Bon Jovi, the 80s pop-metal icon, has asked the makers of the energy drink Mijovi to change its name, saying it's too close to his own. But the drink's creator claims the name has nothing to do with the singer. He says he named the drink after his girlfriend, Jovita.
• Popcorn Prices Pop Up on Ethanol Demand
  Blame the boom in demand for ethanol for higher popcorn prices at a theater near you. Ethanol has pushed up prices for corn and seed. The company that makes Jolly Time Pop Corn reports price increases of 10 to 20 percent. Other makers report price hikes as high as 40 percent. Still, popcorn remains a blockbuster. Americans consumed 4 billion gallons of popcorn last year.
• Memorabilia Firm Says Red Sox' Ortiz Didn't Sign
  David Ortiz signed an exclusive contract with Steiner, a sports memorabilia company. He's also supposed to sign souvenirs. But the company claims that Ortiz hasn't done enough. It is demanding $1 million in damages for the 8,000 times Ortiz was supposed to use his pen.
• Alleged Large-Scale Meth Supplier Arrested
  U.S. authorities have arrested an alleged chemical broker who they say helped manufacture huge quantities of methamphetamines. Zhenli Ye Gon was surprised by Drug Enforcement Administration agents at a restaurant in Maryland.
• Noriega Set for Release — to Where?
  Manuel Noriega, the former Panamanian dictator convicted by a U.S. judge in 1992 on drug trafficking and racketeering charges, is due for release in September, after 15 years in a federal prison near Miami. Noriega is contesting a plan to extradite him to France.
• Tewkesbury Pub a Refuge in England's Floods
  Much of central and western England is under water after heavy rains. Tewkesbury has been cut off since the Avon and the Severn rivers burst their banks. Dawn Harding, proprietor of The Anchor, a pub in the center of Tewkesbury, spoke with Steve Inskeep.
• Afghan Elders Seek S. Korean Hostages Release
  Tribal elders in Afghanistan are still negotiating the release of 23 South Koreans being held by the Taliban. Most of the hostages are in their 20s and 30s. Government troops have surrounded the kidnappers for several days.
• Libya Frees Condemned Medical Workers
  Six foreign medical workers who had been sentenced to death in Libya are free. The five Bulgarian nurses and a Palestinian doctor flew out of Libya to Bulgaria aboard a French jetliner accompanied by the wife of French President Nicholas Sarkozy.
• Democratic Debate Fields Frank YouTube Questions
  Video questions submitted via the Web site YouTube shook up the usual campaign debate for Democratic contenders. Questions included lesbians asking about gay marriage; parents with sons in Iraq asking about the war; and a snowman asking about global warming.
• Minimum-Wage Workers Get Federal Raise
  The federal minimum wage goes up 70 cents to $5.85 an hour. More than a million workers will make around $1,500 a year more than they would have without the increase. It is the first increase in a decade.
• Westinghouse to Build Nuclear Reactors in China
  Westinghouse Electric is due to sign a multi-billion-dollar deal to build four nuclear reactors in eastern China. That puts China at the forefront of a global trend toward nuclear power. China is now the world's second-largest energy consumer.
• Moroccans in Italy Arrested for Running Terror School
  Three Moroccans were arrested in Italy for allegedly operating a terrorism school. Those detained were said to be part of a terrorist cell that trained militants at a mosque near Perugia. One of the suspects detained was the imam of the mosque. Italy has so far been spared terrorist attacks.

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