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

• Fiorina: Candidates Can't Run Companies
  John McCain's campaign adviser Carly Fiorina, the former head of Hewlett-Packard, was asked if Sarah Palin could run a major company. She said "no" and went on to say she didn't think McCain, Barack Obama or Joe Biden could do so, either.
• Democrat-Backed Energy Bill Would OK Some Drilling
  The House is poised to vote Tuesday on an energy bill that would open large offshore areas to oil and gas drilling. That's a concession from Democrats, who also included their own priorities, such as new tax incentives for renewable energy and cars that use alternative fuels.
• Letters: McNair, Correction
  The conversation with Christopher McNair, one of the last surviving parents of the girls killed in the 16th Street Bombing in Birmingham, Ala., sparked numerous listener e-mails. There is also a correction to Monday's show.
• McCain Blasts Wall Street For Financial Woes
  Republican John McCain berated Wall Street, a day after he said the fundamentals of the economy were still strong despite the economic troubles. Campaigning with his running mate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, he said regulation needs to be streamlined.
• In Galveston, Texas, Hospital Weathers Storm
  In Galveston, University of Texas Medical Branch staff evacuated all patients before Hurricane Ike and stayed through the storm. They used lessons learned during Hurricane Rita. Now, they are preparing to receive new patients.
• Cyclists Say U.S. Olympic Panel Bullied Them
  Four U.S. Olympic cyclists who wore masks in Beijing and then apologized have said they were berated by the U.S. Olympic Committee. They say the panel threatened to expel them from the games if they didn't apologize quickly.
• Mortgage Market's Impact Analyzed
  Mortgage defaults precipitated one of the worst banking crises in memory. Kenneth Rogoff, a professor of economics at Harvard University, says debt was concentrated in a relatively small number of banks, which used very short-term loans to buy debt.
• FDA Weighs Safety Of Bisphenol A
  A new study says people with high amounts of bisphenol A in their urine were more than twice as likely to be diagnosed with diabetes or heart disease. The study's author was at a Food and Drug Administration meeting Tuesday on BPA's safety.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Fed Keeps Key Interest Rate Unchanged
  The Federal Reserve kept its target for the federal funds rate, the interest that banks charge on overnight loans, unchanged at 2 percent. It said, however, that strains in financial markets had "increased significantly."

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