Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Instant runoff voting FAQ
  Instant runoff voting advocates are pushing for more Minnesota cities to follow suit, with the eventual goal of using it for statewide elections. Here are some frequently asked questions about it.6:20 a.m.
• Seeing shades of gray within domestic violence
  Researchers like Ellen Pence, above, say one key to preventing domestic violence is to recognize that not all abusers are alike.6:25 a.m.
• In Minneapolis, costs of police misconduct add up
  Over the last few months, incidents involving Minneapolis officers have led to six-figure lawsuit settlements - raising questions about police culture and leadership.6:50 a.m.
• New concerns raised over blacktop sealant runoff
  A long-standing ritual of homeowners - sealing their blacktop driveways - is getting new scrutiny from the state of Minnesota because sealant from driveways and parking lots may be washing off into ponds and streams as hazardous waste.7:20 a.m.
• Monday Market report with Chris Farrell
  Minnesota Public Radio's chief economics correspondent Chris Farrell gives a preview of the week on Wall Street.8:25 a.m.
• Favre triumphant in return to Lambeau
  The Minnesota Vikings now have a 7-1 record this season. They beat the Green Bay Packers 38-26 yesterday in Brett Favre's highly anticipated return to Lambeau Field. Favre threw four touchdown passes to lead the Vikings over the team he previously led for 16 seasons.8:35 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Google's Voice Is Silent In Some Rural Areas
  Google Voice, the phone management service offered by Google, is blocking customers' calls to about 100 phone numbers that were generating excessive long distance fees in the Midwest. Lawmakers and AT&T have cried foul, and the dispute is renewing focus on a controversial practice that lets some phone companies charge inflated fees.
• In Colorado, All Eyes On Unaffiliated Voters
  The only way to win in this former red state is by appealing to the nearly one-third of Colorado voters who don't belong to a party. Republicans are still the largest party here, and they are hoping to lure swing voters back to the GOP.
• Afghan Runoff Canceled, Karzai Declared Winner
  The country's election commission announced Monday that Hamid Karzai will get another term as Afghan president. Karzai was supposed to face a runoff election on Saturday, but there was no point once it became clear he was the only candidate running. His challenger Abdullah Abdullah withdrew Sunday.
• Hog Prices Lower On Swine Flu Concerns
  Last spring's H1N1 outbreak came at a terrible time for hog farmers. While you can't get swine flu from eating pork, its association with the virus pushed hog prices down 20 percent. Some economists believe the non-threat from swine flu cost the industry more than $1 billion. Most hogs still sell at a loss, but farmers believe their industry has seen the worst of the nightmare.
• Yankees 1 Game Away From Clinching Series Title
  The New York Yankees are one victory away from winning their 27th World Series. They beat the Philadelphia Phillies 7-4 Sunday night in Philadelphia. The Yankees take a 3-1 lead in the series. New York can clinch the title with a victory in Game 5 Monday night in Philadelphia.
• Supreme Court Considers Mutual Fund Fees
  The Supreme Court hears arguments Monday in a case testing whether some mutual funds are charging excessive fees. Some 90 million Americans invest in retail mutual funds. While the fees charged by these funds may sound small percentage-wise, they add up to big money.
• Retail Lender CIT Group Files For Bankruptcy
  CIT Group Inc. provides financing to about 1 million small and mid-sized businesses. Its bankruptcy filing Sunday could be one of the biggest in U.S. corporate history. The government lent CIT more than $2 billion a year ago. Taxpayers will probably lose that money as a result of the bankruptcy.
• Self-Interest May Not Benefit Society As A Whole
  John Cassidy, a writer for The New Yorker, talks with Renee Montagne about his new book How Markets Fail. Free market believers say that when individuals act in their own rational self-interest, society benefits. But that theory has skeptics — including Cassidy.
• Lehman Bros. Art Auctioned For $1.3 Million
  Hundreds of paintings that once adorned the walls of failed banking giant Lehman Brothers were sold at Freeman's Auction house in Philadephia on Sunday. The collection sold for about $1.3 million, which is double the original estimate.
• National Politicians Watch Off-Year Elections Closely
  Tuesday is Election Day. Among the most-watched races are gubernatorial contests in Virginia and New Jersey, as well as a pair of special congressional elections. The off-year elections are being watched by national politicians as a referendum on President Obama and his party.
• Challenger Pulls Out Of 2-Man Runoff In Afghanistan
  Afghan President Hamid Karzai will apparently remain in power. Karzai's only challenger dropped out of the runoff Sunday. Former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah cited concerns about a corrupt election process. Abdullah was widely expected to lose in the next round, and power sharing talks had failed.
• Abandoning Afghan Election 'Painful,' Challenger Says
  In an NPR interview, former Afghan Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah says it was "a painful decision" to abandon the fraud-marred election in advance of a scheduled runoff vote.
• Scientists Decode DNA Of Domestic Pig
  An international team of scientists has completed a draft sequence of the pig genome. Pigs share many important properties with humans, so understanding the pig genome could reveal more about behavior and disease resistance in humans.
• All Saints Day Brings French Families Together
  While Americans spent the Halloween weekend dressing up and dishing out candy, families in France have a different tradition. On All Saints Day they gather at family graves, in a gesture of remembrance. The occasion is usually not somber and melancholy, but more a celebration of family ties.
• Retailers Try For Edge With Holiday Shoppers
  The holiday retail season is here. Last year retailers got slammed with a lot of unsold inventory as the economy collapsed, and they don't want that to happen again. So this time around, they are carrying less merchandise, and are trying to lure customers in early.

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