Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Rodriguez jurors to hear death penalty arguments next
  Attorneys in the Dru Sjodin murder case begin presenting their arguments next week on whether the man convicted in her death deserves the death penalty. The penalty phase of a capital case is one of the most complex and intense of criminal proceedings.7:20 a.m.
• Legislator says he faces a primary challenge because he's gay
  Minnesota state Sen. Paul Koering says the main reason he's facing a primary challenge next month is because he's gay.7:24 a.m.
• New, blue Guthrie Theater settles into space
  Cathy Wurzer spoke with Minnesota Public Radio arts commentator Dominic Papatola about how people are receiving the new Guthrie.8:24 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• A Better Breakfast Can Boost a Child's Brainpower
  Don't let your children head back to school without a good breakfast. Many studies show that a morning meal rich in protein and whole grains can improve short-term memory and verbal fluency.
• Fouad Ajami on What Went Wrong in Iraq
  Fouad Ajami supported the U.S.-led war in Iraq. In a new book, The Foreigner's Gift, he says that the war went wrong because of the Arab world's prejudice against Shia Muslims and against the Americans who expected to help them lead Iraq.
• Flight Attendants Practice Self-Defense
  They've gone from flying nurses in the early days to hostesses, sex symbols, glorified waitresses and nannies. But these days, when flight attendants take to the skies, they're prepared to be the front-line troops in the global war on terrorism.
• Exercise Helps Students in the Classroom
  Increasingly, researchers are finding that brain activity and brain development are enhanced by physical exercise. It now appears that exercise can help kids learn at school.
• Chicago Principal Challenges School System
  A Chicago high school principal was fired when he refused to accept additional students in his already crowded school. The school district says he didn't have the right to do that. The principal says huge classrooms are bursting with students, and education is suffering as a result.
• U.S. Connects Terrorist Threat to Historical Menaces
  The administration is on a public-relations offensive in support of the war on terrorism. President Bush, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld and others have all made the comparison between today's terrorist threat and yesterday's Nazi or fascist threat.
• Salt Lake City Mayor Protests President's Visit
  President Bush addresses a conference of the American Legion in Salt Lake City. To welcome the President, Salt Lake City Mayor Rocky Anderson hosted an anti-Bush, anti-war rally downtown Wednesday. The rally went against the grain of a state known for its widespread support of the Bush administration.
• U.S. Opens Case Against Marines for Alleged Murder
  U.S. military prosecutors in California have begun to lay out their case against seven Marines and a Navy corpsman. The servicemen are accused of committing murder in the Iraqi town of Hamdania.
• Actor Glenn Ford Dies at 90
  Actor Glenn Ford died Wednesday at his Beverly Hills home. He was 90. Ford starred in some of the most charming films of mid-century America: The Teahouse of the August Moon, Don't Go Near the Water and Pocketful of Miracles, for which he won a Golden Globe as best actor.
• Three More Arraigned in Britain for Airliner Plot
  Three more British men arrested in the plot to blow up American-bound airliners have been arraigned and denied bail. Of the two dozen people originally arrested in the plot, fifteen are facing charges. Five others remain in custody for further questioning.
• Calif. Diverges from U.S. with Greenhouse Gas Cuts
  Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and California's Democrat-controlled legislature have a plan to curb the state's greenhouse-gas emissions. Supporters see the plan as a major breakthrough for climate change policy in the United States.
• General Predicts Iraq Security Handover by 2008
  The top American commander in Iraq, Gen. George Casey, says Iraqi forces will be able to take over most of the country's security by 2008. Some analysts think that this is a very optimistic view.
• Dixie Chicks Summer Tour Not All Smooth Sailing
  It's been more than three years since one of the Dixie Chicks told a London audience that she was "ashamed" President Bush was from the group's home state of Texas. Some predicted the group would suffer long-term consequences because of the comment. Now their summer tour is coming up short in some cities.
• Californians Celebrate More than Zin
  Lawmakers in California passed a bill declaring Zinfandel to be the state's "historic wine." Now Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has put a cork in the measure. He said it's not fair to leave out other fine California wines, like Cabernets and Pinot noirs. The bill's author says, "While we were crushed by the veto, the governor will find no sour grapes in our office." And, not missing the chance for another pun, she adds, "Next year we will press on."
• IMF to Share Power with Developing Countries
  The head of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) says the organization is ready to give more power to rapidly growing developing countries such as China, Turkey and South Korea. It's a goal the United States has advocated for the IMF.

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