Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• 'Boys Don't Cry' director goes to war
  This weekend a new film called "Stop-Loss" opens around the country. The movie is about what happens when a Texas veteran, who is expecting to get out of the military after his second tour in Iraq, is ordered back to Baghdad. Stop-Loss is written and directed by Kimberly Pierce, Oscar-winning director of "Boys Don't Cry."4:49 p.m.
• Chlorine not the cause of Rocori illnesses
  Officials in Cold Spring say they are at a loss to explain why 38 people became sick at the Rocori High School pool Wednesday.5:20 p.m.
• Gorilla pad poised for extreme makeover
  Como Zoo is asking the state for $11 million to modernize its gorilla and polar bear exhibits. But will roomier confines lessen your chances of getting close to the animals?5:23 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Mugabe Faces Strong Challenge in Zimbabwe Vote
  The southern African nation of Zimbabwe has had only one leader since escaping white minority rule 28 years ago: Robert Mugabe. But he faces a serious threat in Saturday's elections. The two strongest challengers accuse him of wrecking the country's economy.
• Kentucky's Options to Make Up Shortfall Unpopular
  As Kentucky lawmakers consider what to do about a projected $900-million budget shortfall over the next two years, most residents don't like the solutions they're hearing. Among them: steep cuts to higher education, a big hike in cigarette taxes and casino gambling.
• Calls for More Spending Compound Ill. Budget Woes
  Illinois is facing a huge budget deficit this year, and with officials loath to raise taxes, options are severely limited. Compounding the problem, at budget hearings across the state, legislators are hearing requests for increased spending on education and human services programs.
• Massive Calif. Deficit Sets Up Budget Battle
  California is facing a massive $16-billion budget deficit. To fix the problem, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has proposed across-the-board budget cuts. But Democrats in the state Legislature are unlikely to go along with his plan.
• Olympics Provide Backdrop for Games of State
  Although there has been global condemnation of Olympics host nation China for its recent crackdown in Tibet and neighboring provinces, Washington is signaling that it will not use the Games to take China to task for human rights violations. The primary reason: China's newfound economic power.
• The Crossroads of Diplomacy and Sport
  With the Beijing Olympics just months away, Robert Siegel and David Wallechinsky, co-author of the upcoming The Complete Book of the Olympics, discuss Olympic boycotts, minor incidents, major protests and the decision to allow China to host this year's Games.
• Genetic Link to Schizophrenia Discovered
  Researchers have found that people with schizophrenia are far more likely than other people to have a certain type of error in their genes. Scientists believe the finding will help them develop new treatments for schizophrenia and identify young people at high risk of developing the disorder.
• California May Push Back Zero-Emissions Deadline
  California regulators are considering reducing the number of zero-emission vehicles automakers must produce by 2014. The auto industry says it needs more time to manufacture battery-powered and fuel-cell cars, but environmentalists say the state shouldn't back away from its toughest-in-the-nation air-quality standards.
• Letters: Dodd on Banking; Competency for Trial
  Listeners comment on an interview with Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd (D-CT), and on a Supreme Court case likely to determine whether a defendant sane enough to stand trial is also capable of legally representing himself. There was also mixed reaction to commentary on the merits of calf-high rubber boots.
• Egg McMuffin Creator Invented Breakfast-on-the-Go
  The creator of the Egg McMuffin, Herb Peterson, died Tuesday. The ad man and McDonald's franchisee's love of eggs Benedict led to the invention of the ubiquitous breakfast sandwich, opening a whole new market for the fast food industry.
• Candidates Views on Economic Crises Compared
  Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) laid out his plans Thursday to address crises in the housing and financial markets. With Sens. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and John McCain (R-AZ) making their views on the issue known already, where do the three main presidential candidates' approaches differ?
• Paul Prudhomme Dodges a Bullet, Literally
  Celebrity chef Paul Prudhomme tells Robert Siegel that he was in the midst of setting up his cooking tent at a golf tournament in New Orleans when he heard a kind of "whistley zing" and felt a sting in his arm. Prudhomme shook his shirt sleeve and found a .22-caliber bullet in his long johns.
• Candidates Leave Wall Street out of Economic Talks
  None of the three presidential candidates are calling for punishing investment firms for their roles in creating the financial crisis. All three have raised millions from the financial industry, with Obama leading the pack in fundraising.
• Fighting Between Iraqi Forces, Militias Continues
  Despite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's warning Wednesday to Shiite gunmen, they continue to battle Iraqi forces in Basra and other southern cities Thursday. The Baghdad neighborhood of Sadr City is also the scene of sporadic fighting.
• Justice Probes S.C. for Civil Rights Violations
  The Justice Department has begun a civil rights investigation of the South Carolina Highway Patrol. In recent weeks, a series of videos has surfaced showing highway patrol officers using racial slurs and striking African-American suspects with their patrol cars.

Services

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

Become a Sponsor