All Things Considered for September 10, 2010 | Minnesota Public Radio News

Friday, September 10, 2010

Minnesota Public Radio Stories

On the ground in Pakistan after devastating floods
The end of Ramadan is usually a festive time for Muslims around the world. But for millions in Pakistan this year, there's a very different mood. Twenty million people have been affected or displaced by the flooding that began in late July over a huge geographic area.4:45 p.m.
Pakistan's receding floodwaters reveal health concerns
MPR's Tom Crann talks to Tyler Zabriskie, Sr. Vice President for International Programs of the American Refugee Committee in Islamabad, Pakistan about flood relief efforts there.4:51 p.m.
Emmer's education plan holds the line on funding
The proposal does not call for any changes in the current funding levels for K-12 education, and would delay until 2014 the payback of funding to school districts, which was postponed earlier this year.5:20 p.m.
The Dinner Party Download featuring Noah Lennox
This week on the Dinner Party Download: artery-clogging delicacies at the Texas State Fair, Tsar Peter the Great's infamous "beard tax," and Noah Lennox of indie rock band The Animal Collective.6:20 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

Imam Says He Has No Plans To Meet Fla. Pastor
Questions remain about what Pastor Terry Jones has planned for Saturday's anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Jones originally had planned to mark the event by burning copies of the Quran at his church in Gainesville, Fla. On Thursday, he canceled the event, but then said he was reconsidering. Melissa Block talks with NPR's Greg Allen about the latest developments.
American Suspicion Of Muslims Grows
Robert Siegel speaks with Zareena Grewal, professor of American studies and religion at Yale University, about reaction from the Muslim community to the controversy surrounding the proposed mosque in New York and the canceled Quran-burning event.
Sept. 11 Memorial On Track To Open Next Year
Nine years after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, there is still no memorial at ground zero in New York City. But there is progress, and Mayor Bloomberg insists the site will be ready by the 10th anniversary next year.
Ground Zero Remains Continue To Be Recovered, ID'd
New York's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner continues to identify victims' remains from the World Trade Center, using new methodologies. To date, more than 1,600 victims have been identified, while 1,123 have not.
State Budget Gaps: Debt Holes Deepen
States have cut spending and raised taxes to deal with growing deficits. The nation's smallest state, Rhode Island, has the most debt. In Illinois, a state representative was evicted from her district office for late rent payments. Even Tennessee, the state with the lowest total debt, is borrowing.
'Because It Is Wrong': A Meditation On Torture
The debate about whether torture should be used to extract information from terrorists continues to percolate in our society. Robert Siegel talks with a father and son who have written a new book, Because It Is Wrong: Torture, Privacy and Presidential Power in the Age of Terror. Charles Fried is a Harvard Law professor and a former U.S. solicitor general in the Reagan administration. His son, Gregory Fried, is head of the philosophy department at Suffolk University. They argue that torture is fundamentally wrong -- it is not a gray issue.
D.C. Mayor's Race A Matter Of Style
Washington, D.C., Mayor Adrian Fenty entered office being touted as a rising young Democratic star. Now, he's in a tough race for renomination in Tuesday's primary. Most polls show his challenger, City Council Chairman Vince Gray, in the lead.
Call For Stories: New Jersey's Passaic River
Listeners are invited to submit stories and photos about New Jersey's Passaic River to help us in our plan to chronicle the history and environmental condition of the troubled waterway. Send comments and photos to river@npr.org. In one email we've received, a listener says most people he knows in New Jersey make the name two syllables -- pa-SAKE -- not pa-SAY-ik.
Are Saints On Way To Another NFL Title?
The professional football season began in New Orleans last night with the Saints playing the Minnesota Vikings. Robert Siegel talks with sportswriter Stefan Fatsis about the game, the Saints' prospects of repeating as Super Bowl champs, and the message players from both teams gave to NFL management before the game.
Town Stops Using Google Earth To Spot Illegal Pools
Melissa Block talks with Leroy Barnes Jr., chief building inspector for the town of Riverhead, New York. The town voted Wednesday to stop using Google Earth satellite images to find backyard pools that don't have proper permits.