Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Searchers say third body believed found in wreckage
  Authorities said Thursday they had recovered the bodies of two victims from the site of the interstate bridge collapse and believed they had a third. If the third recovery is confirmed, it would bring the confirmed death toll to eight.5:20 p.m.
• Bush cool to federal gas tax increase
  President Bush isn't embracing Minnesota Rep. Jim Oberstar's call for a federal gas tax increase. Oberstar says the tax income should be used to repair and replace structurally deficient bridges.5:24 p.m.
• Bridge inspectors across St. Croix affected by I-35W collapse
  Since the I-35W bridge collapse last week, there has been a lot of attention on how, and how often, bridges are inspected. As investigators look for the causes of the collapse of the Minneapolis bridge, engineers around the country continue their inspections, hoping to find evidence that could prevent the next bridge failure. MPR's Tom Crann spoke with Wisconsin State Bridge Engineer Finn Hubbard. Hubbard has performed bridge inspections and he says engineers need special equipment to see the underside of major bridges.5:50 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Letters: Katrina Trailers, Native Americans, Olive Oil
  Michele Norris and Andrea Seabrook read from e-mails from listeners. Topics include a story on Hurricane Katrina evacuees still living in trailer parks, sexual assaults of women on Native American reservations and discerning counterfeit olive oil from the real thing.
• Rescuers Hope to Reach Utah Miners Thursday
  In Utah, rescue crews are drilling holes from the surface to try to provide ventilation — as well as communication — to the location of the six miners, trapped since a mine collapsed Monday. One of the owners of the mine says rescuers hope to reach the men Thursday.
• U.S., China Tied at the Ankle on Mine Safety
  Coal mining safety has improved in the United States since the industrial revolution. But China is running far behind. NPR Senior Analyst Ted Koppel talks about why it is in America's best interests to help China move along.
• Athletes Struggle for Air Amid China's Pollution
  One year before the Beijing Olympics begin, air pollution in China is causing a lot of concern. This September, the Women's World Cup of Soccer will take place in China. Recently, the Canadian team trained in Beijing and found breathing difficult.
• Pollution May Cancel Out China's Economic Growth
  Much has been made of China's dazzling economic growth, but when the negative effects of China's pollution are factored in, the growth rate is less impressive. The World Bank calculates that pollution costs China about 5.8 percent of its GDP every year.
• Dow Falls 300 Points on Rocky Day
  It's been another volatile day on the financial markets — with the Dow Jones Industrial Average down 300 points in the afternoon. Investors are worried about a credit crunch — as a major European bank suspended three of its funds.
• S.C. Moves GOP Primary, Sets Off Chain Reaction
  The South Carolina Republican Party announced Thursday that it is moving forward the date for its presidential primary to earlier in January next year. The move has implications for New Hampshire's "first in the nation" primary and other states.
• Bedouins Fight Israel's Efforts to Move Them
  The state of Israel recently razed two Bedouin villages, calling the shanty towns illegal and unauthorized. Yet the Bedouins are resisting efforts to move them into government-sponsored townships, which would mean giving up their herding and farming lifestyle.
• Lead in Kids Jewelry from China Prompts Ban
  Toxic lead is turning up in inexpensive children's jewelry — much of it made in China. The Consumer Product Safety Commission says the only way to deal with it is to impose a ban. Congress is considering the issue. California isn't waiting.
• U.S. Considers Aiding Mexico in Drug War
  The Bush administration is considering joining Mexico's battle against narco-traffickers with a multibillion-dollar anti-drug plan that could provide telephone tapping equipment, military helicopters, radar to track drug shipments, and training.
• Nagasaki Aftermath Haunts U.S. Veteran
  South Dakota farmer Rudi Bohlmann served aboard the USS Tyrrell, the first ship to dock at Nagasaki, Japan, in the aftermath of the U.S. bombing on Aug. 9, 1945. Sixty-two years later, Bohlmann's memories of what he saw remain vivid.
• Officials Warn of Possible Flaw in Nation's Bridges
  Federal authorities are warning that there may be a design flaw in bridges nationwide. The problem is not limited to bridges similar to the one that collapsed in Minneapolis. They're also warning about the extra weight put on a bridge during repairs.
• Is a Chemical in Plastic Bottles a Hazard to Humans?
  Is there a chemical in plastic bottles that's hazardous to your health? A panel convened by the National Institutes of Health has looked at research and discounted a number of worries but said there are some concerns about the neural and behavioral effects of BPA.
• Dweezil Zappa Honors his Dad in Baltimore
  Aug. 9, 2007, is the first-ever Frank Zappa Day in Baltimore. Zappa was born Dec. 21, 1940, in Baltimore. So why celebrate now? It happens to be the day that Zappa's son, Dweezil, has chosen to visit Baltimore and play some of his dad's songs.
• Newark Murder Suspect Turns Himself In
  Newark police arrested a 15-year-old boy and charged him with the murders of three college students last weekend. A second suspect turned himself in to police hours after a manhunt was announced for him.

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