Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Fireworks shortages dampen some holidays
  It's July 4th, Independence Day, and many people are planning to gather at dusk to watch their local fireworks display or lighting a fuse of their own at home.4:44 p.m.
• Gas prices cause people to vacation closer to home
  Minnesota's tourism industry doesn't appear to be taking a hit from $4 a gallon gas.5:19 p.m.
• SD soldier dies from explosion
  A Sioux Falls soldier has died of wounds he suffered in Afghanistan.5:26 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Looking Back on Jesse Helms' Life
  "Sen. No," as he was often called, "was a real throwback," says Merle Black, a professor of southern politics at Emory University. One of a select group of politicians who helped solidify Republican control in the South, he had a loyal constituency of working-class whites in North Carolina.
• SambAsia Grows In China
  Originally created in San Francisco to unite Asians and Latinos, SambAsia has attracted a serious following in Beijing. We dance our way through this lively version of Samba, which creates unlikely partnerships.
• What Chinese Men Really Think of Western Women
  Chinese women complain that Western guys use them as private interpreters; Western women worry about being much bigger than their Chinese boyfriends. An American expat in Beijing goes undercover to find out what dating in China really entails.
• In Nashville, a Barbershop Battle
  The Barbershop Harmony Society is holding its annual international convention and competition this week in Nashville, Tenn. All is not harmonious, however. The "kibbers" —as in "Keep it Barbershop" — and the "libbers" — as in Liberal Interpretation of Barbershop" are finding it hard to get along.
• Financial Aid Woes Boost Community College Appeal
  Despite efforts by the Bush administration and Congress to quell turmoil in the student loan market, some students are struggling to find money for college. We examine the case of two recent high school graduates who have been promised financial aid but don't know how much they can count on.
• How Bush Spent His Fourth Of July
  President Bush went to Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson for the annual Independence Day celebration and naturalization ceremony. While welcoming more than 70 new American citizens, he was interrupted by protesters.
• Records 'Too Dangerous' To Stay In Iraq
  Some Iraq government officials accused Kanan Makiya of looting, when he gave Baathist documents to the Hoover Institution for safe keeping. He says that because the records rate Iraqis according to their loyalty to Saddam Hussein, it's too dangerous to leave them in Iraq.
• U.S. Opens Embassy in Germany
  U.S. diplomats and German politicians have been emphasizing the important symbolism of the new building and its location next to the Brandenburg Gate. Germans seem less convinced.
• Literary Adventures To Occupy The Long Weekend
  We look at some the most exciting pieces of new literature. City of Thieves by David Benioff, The Spies of Warsaw by Alan Furst and The Finder by Colin Harrison top the list.
• Betancourt Welcomed Back To France
  The former Colombian presidential candidate is back in France Friday, six years after being taken hostage by the FARC. She received a hero's welcome from French President Nicolas Sarkozy and told her supporters she "cries with joy."
• Colombian Military Basks in Glory of Incredible Rescue
  Commandos fooled the hostages' captors in an elaborate scheme that involved a mole, false radio commands and tricking FARC operatives into thinking helicopters were part of a humanitarian mission. How did they come up with such a plan?
• Trash-Talking Archery On The Mall
  Every year around the Fourth of July, the Smithsonian Institution hosts the Folk Life Festival in Washington. The festival is an opportunity to learn about the nuances of different traditions, like the banter that goes along with archery in the nation of Bhutan.
• Why Do We Care About Flag Pins?
  Sen. Barack Obama Obama was questioned about why he doesn't always wear a flag pin during a Democratic debate in April. Recently the Democratic candidate has been wearing one. When did the patriotic pin tradition begin?
• Viacom May Soon Have Your YouTube Password
  A judge ordered YouTube to hand over the log-on names and the Internet addresses of its users to media giant Viacom. The matter is stirring up major privacy concerns.
• Atlanta Soul Scene Reborn
  The capital of Georgia is home to some of the biggest stars in hip-hop and R&B. Since the 1990s, though, the city has also nurtured a very different scene — indie soul. Clubs like the shuttered Yin Yang Cafe and Sugarhill have birthed an intimate scene that gives musicians room to experiment and grow.

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