Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Koch: Decision on government shutdown would be on Dayton
  GOP Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch says the decision on a government shutdown "lies with the governor." Koch, R-Buffalo, spoke to MPR's Morning Edition. She said she's looking forward to the Legislative Commission on Planning and Fiscal Policy hearing today.7:20 a.m.
• After the storm comes the daunting task of finding a contractor
  Finding the person to help you pick up the pieces requires research and good judgement.7:40 a.m.
• A frosty, but civil, town hall for Rep. Keith Downey
  The Republican lawmaker faced a roomful of public employees who could soon be out of work if lawmakers can't reach an agreement on erasing a projected $5 billion deficit and who were already angry over his efforts to cut the state workforce by 15 percent.7:45 a.m.
• Marketplace Tech Report: From the makers of Farmville, a brand new way to waste your time and money
  "Empires & Allies" is a brand new game from Zynga, the game maker behind "Farmville," "Frontierville" and "Cityville." Zynga's games are free, but they could end up costing you money.8:20 a.m.
• Dayton, GOP numbers on budget solutions don't line up
  Experts say Republican legislative leaders and Gov. Mark Dayton are using different numbers to make their case for their respective budget shortfall solutions to the public. They say neither side is wrong as long as they don't mix figures.8:45 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Al-Qaida Claims It's Involved In Yemeni Battles
  Yemen now appears on the verge of civil war. Just who is fighting whom is often unclear. Renee Montagne talks to Les Campbell of the National Democratic Institute for some background on the situation in Yemen.
• Opposition Tries To Define Syria's Political Future
  Some 300 Syrian activists are gathered in southern Turkey to chart ways to step up their campaign against the government of President Bashar al-Assad.
• The Scoreboard Doesn't Lie: The Indians Are Winning
  The Cleveland Indians are Major League Baseball's biggest surprise so far this season. They have the best record in the American League, despite having one of the lowest payrolls. The team's success has been a welcome surprise for its fans.
• Novak Djokovic Nears John McEnroe Record
  Novak Djokovic has been dominating men's tennis. Jon Wertheim of Sports Illustrated talks to Mary Louise Kelly about Djokovic, who's in the French Open semifinals Friday. With a victory over Roger Federer, Djokovic can equal John McEnroe's record of 42 straight wins to start a season.
• 'Softened' Regulations Issued For For-Profit Schools
  After months of delay, the Department of Education issued new rules Thursday that could shut down some for-profit colleges and universities. The department says the regulations are meant to cut off federal aid to schools whose students cannot earn enough to repay their loans. The administration softened the rules in response to industry pressure.
• Contractors Abuse Foreigners Who Staff U.S. Wars
  An article in the latest issue of The New Yorker focuses on the mistreatment of foreign workers on U.S. bases in Iraq and Afghanistan. Reporter Sarah Stillman tells Mary Louise Kelly that workers are enticed overseas by shady contractors, and when the U.S. draws down operations, they're laid off but given no return ticket home.
• Returned Combat Veteran: 'Anxiety Trumps Logic'
  War veterans often have both emotional baggage — and a compulsion to carry a weapon, says commentator Benjamin Tupper. He says the habit is ingrained, just as it was described in Tim O'Brien's famous book about the Vietnam War, The Things They Carried.
• China-Based Hackers Break Into Google Accounts
  Google has announced that computer hackers in China broke into personal e-mail accounts of hundreds of people --including top U.S. officials and Chinese activists. The accusation sparked an angry response from Beijing which calls the claim "unacceptable."
• Brazil's Controversial Dam Gets OK To Move Forward
  A controversial dam in the heart of Brazil's Amazon has moved one step closer to construction. Environmentalists say it will devastate the ecosystem and force tens of thousands of people to relocate. Brazilian authorities say they need the energy for the growing nation.
• Wal-Mart Makes A Move Into South Africa
  South African regulators have given Wal-Mart approval to buy a controlling stake in retailer Massmart. Liabo Setho, a business reporter for the South African Broadcasting Corporation, tells Renee Montagne there had been huge opposition to the deal from trade unions, suppliers and industry groups.

Resources

• Marketplace Tech Report®
• Marketplace Morning Report®
• Mark Seeley's WeatherTalk

Services

• Hourly Newscast
• HD Radio
• iPhone App / Mobile
• E-mail newsletters
• RSS feeds
• Podcasts
• Submit your photos
• Videos
• Weather
• Most e-mailed stories