Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Rodriguez's mother urges jury to spare son's life
  Alfonso Rodriguez Jr.'s mother was called Tuesday as a witness in federal court to help spare her son from the death penalty for the killing of University of North Dakota student Dru Sjodin.6:54 a.m.
• Ellison wins 5th District battle
  The seat has been dominated by DFLers for decades, but Ellison's Republican opponent in November says he'll question Ellison's character, a campaign theme that was used over the summer by Ellison's DFL opponents.7:20 a.m.
• Ellison moves past primary, prepares for November
  Keith Ellison is the 5th District DFL candidate. He will face Republican candidate Alan Fine, Independence Party endorsee Tammy Lee and Green Party candidate Jay Pond in November.7:24 a.m.
• Preliminaries over, gubernatorial survivors begin campaign
  Republican incumbent Tim Pawlenty, DFLer Mike Hatch and the Independence Party's Peter Hutchinson will face off in the November election, and the barbs have already started.7:47 a.m.
• Primary night suspense? Attorney general races provided it
  Minnesota Solicitor General Lori Swanson will take on Rep. Jeff Johnson. But the closest race was in the Independence Party.7:51 a.m.
• Senators in marriage-ban spotlight post primary wins
  Democrat Dean Johnson, the state Senate's Majority Leader, easily defeated a political newcomer who claimed Johnson wasn't conservative enough for his west central Minnesota district. Republican state Sen. Paul Koering also defeated a challenger who criticized the openly gay lawmaker for opposing a Senate vote on a gay marriage ban in 2005.7:55 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Sports Obsession Holds Boys Back in College
  This school year, men will make up only 42 percent of the nation's college graduates. The problem? Sports! Men are obsessed by them, while women hit the books and speed ahead in academics.
• The Joys and Perils of Whining at Work
  People who complain at work all the time can be annoying. But people who never complain at all are downright spooky. Finding a balance for your workplace complaints is one key to professional happiness. Lucy Kellaway, the workplace columnist at the Financial Times, talks with Renee Montagne about whining at work.
• Iraq, Iran Agree on Need to Police Border
  Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki concludes a two-day visit to neighboring Iran. He returns home with a pledge from Iran's leaders to crack down on militants who've been crossing into Iraq from Iran. Relations between Iran and Iraq, who fought an eight-year war in the 1980s, have steadily improved since Saddam Hussein was driven from power. Steve Inskeep talks to Time magazine reporter Azadeh Moaveni.
• Pope Tackles Sensitive Topic of Jihad
  In Munich on Tuesday, Pope Benedict addressed the controversial subject of Islam and violence. In a lecture at the University of Regensburg, where he used to teach, he touched on the concept of Holy War and Jihad.
• Gates Foundation to Aid African Farmers
  The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation plans to help Africa produce food. In the 1960s, advances in crop breeding and farming technology sparked a green revolution. But, for a variety of reasons, most of Africa was left out. The new initiative hopes to succeed where past efforts have failed.
• Medicare Premiums Set to Rise for All
  The head of the Medicare program has announced that next year's premiums will increase. And for the first time, richer people will have to pay more than others. Of the 42 million Americans who use Medicare, officials estimate that 1.5 million will face higher premiums because of their income.
• Immigration Stands as Key 2006 Electoral Issue
  Voters in nine states and the District of Columbia went to the polls Tuesday for primary elections. Races in Arizona, Maryland and New York all earned national attention. The issue that links many races is immigration.
• National GOP Welcomes Chafee Win in Rhode Island
  Sen. Lincoln Chafee's win in Rhode Island's Republican primary could help the GOP hold on to the Senate as a whole. Chafee, a maverick Republican, is thought to have a good chance at holding his seat in the general election, even though Rhode Island is heavily Democratic.
• Moderate Chafee Wins GOP Primary in R.I.
  Sen. Lincoln Chafee wins Rhode Island's Republican primary. Chafee is a moderate who voted against President Bush's tax cuts, and the war in Iraq. Despite his stands, the national GOP backed him.
• U.K. Is Home to Thousands of Islamic Converts
  Conversion to Islam has become a hot topic in Britain recently, not only because of a number of high-profile converts to the religion, but also because there were a number of converts among those arrested last month on accusations of plotting to blow up airliners flying to the United States.
• Time and Times Shrink Media Holdings
  Two American media companies are downsizing. Time Inc., which owns Time magazine, is selling some of its smaller publications. And The New York Times Company is putting some of its television stations on the market.
• Immigration Issue Continues to Bedevil Congress
  Immigration consistently tops the list of issues voters care about. Legislators have spent months haggling over an immigration reform bill, with no end in sight. At a policy forum Tuesday, Republican leaders in Congress took up the issue again. But Democrats say it's just politics as usual.
• War Solidifies Support for Hezbollah in Lebanon
  Hezbollah is considered a terrorist organization by the United States, Britain and Israel. But efforts to undermine the Shiite militia have been blunted by Hezbollah's strong support within Lebanon, especially since this summer's 34-day war with Israel.
• 'Monopoly' Modernizes with Airports and Branding
  The classic board game Monopoly is getting a makeover. Monopoly Here and Now features inflated rents, airports instead of railroads, and branded game pieces. Now players can choose to be represented by a Toyota Prius or a cup of Starbucks coffee.
• Cyclist Andreu Talks About Performance Drugs
  Former professional cyclist Frankie Andreu has admitted in a New York Times article that he used banned performance-enhancing drugs on the tour. Andreu says that he admitted to the drug use so that he could speak out against their use with a clear conscience. Steve Inskeep talks to Andreu about his admission.

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