Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• A Liberian life of extremes
  Growing up in Liberia, Helene Cooper had an idyllic childhood, but it all came crashing down during the bloody coup of 1980 when the family had to flee Liberia to the U.S.4:49 p.m.
• Somali parents, teachers try resolve issue of when to pray
  Willmar school district officials and a few Somali parents will meet this morning to discuss concerns over prayer time.5:19 p.m.
• Fleezanis to step down from Minn. Orchestra
  Minnesota Orchestra concertmaster Jorja Fleezanis will step down from her position in 2009.5:24 p.m.
• Why are more parents opting out of child vaccinations?
  It's a familiar image. The doctor comes into the examining room, checks the baby over, and proceeds to line up the needles for the standard battery of vaccinations. But that common scene is changing. Dr. Jon Hallberg talked with Tom Crann about the changing dynamic of child vaccinations.5:50 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Obama Links Wall Street's Ills To GOP Failures
  Barack Obama characterized Wall Street's turmoil on Tuesday as the "final verdict" on Republicans' failed economic policies. He says John McCain would continue the same path since McCain has, in the past, supported deregulation of the financial industry.
• Keira Knightley: 'Duchess' Isn't Diana In Disguise
  British actress Keira Knightley was only a child when Princess Diana died. Now at age 23, Knightley stars in The Duchess as Georgiana Spencer, Diana's distant 18th-century relative.
• Silent Ravers Dance 'Together, But Individually'
  Young people are organizing online and gathering in public spaces to throw the quietest dance parties ever. It's called a "silent rave" — with MP3 players in hand, they show up en masse and dance together to their own music.
• U.S. Scrambles To Find Solution To AIG's Woes
  Federal officials are working overtime in order to save American Insurance Group. The Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department say they are seeking a private-sector solution, but it is being asked if there will be another government-sponsored bailout.
• Oil Prices Continue Decline Toward $90
  Oil prices are continuing to fall, tumbling below $92 per barrel. In July, they stood at $147. Daniel Yergin, chairman of Cambridge Energy Research Associates, says two factors are at play: the short-term financial crisis and a gloomier outlook on the world economy.
• Gen. Petraeus Ends Time In Iraq With Handover
  Gen. David Petraeus has handed over control of U.S. forces in Iraq to his longtime deputy, and headed back home where he will take charge of U.S. Central Command, with responsibility for the wars in both Iraq and Afghanistan.
• To Remain Open, Catholic Schools Become Charters
  In many cities, Catholic schools are struggling financially and many are being forced to close. In Washington, D.C., the Archdiocese and city officials came up with an idea to keep seven religious schools open: convert them to public charter schools.
• Fiddling While Rome Burns
  The presidential candidates are paying too little attention to the important issues like the financial crisis and too much attention to trivial things like lipstick on pigs.
• Bank Of America's Ken Lewis Takes Biggest Risk Yet
  In his seven-year tenure at the helm of Bank of America, Ken Lewis has made many big buys: FleetBoston, MBNA, LaSalle and Countrywide — to name a few. But none quite matches the risk, expense and scope of the Merrill Lynch deal.
• Wall Street Woes Hit Workers' Mental Health
  The financial crisis on Wall Street isn't just hitting people's pocketbooks, it's also having effects on their mental health. Severe stress can spark some mental illnesses, or exacerbate them.

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