Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Google pushes small Minn. businesses to get online
  About 60 percent of small businesses in Minnesota do not have a website, according to estimates by Google.3:54 p.m.
• Craig Thompson's complex intertwinings in 'Habibi'
  Graphic artist Craig Thompson believes that comic-books have yet to reach their full audience. His latest graphic novel 'Habibi' is an epic tale of love between two orphans in an un-named desert, and it draws on a huge array of religious and artistic traditions.4:45 p.m.
• Officials hope BWCA fire will be contained by Saturday
  Superior National Forest officials say they hope to have the huge Pagami Creek fire fully contained by the end of the day Saturday.5:20 p.m.
• Google pushes small Minn. businesses to get online
  About 60 percent of small businesses in Minnesota do not have a website, according to estimates by Google.5:50 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Killing Deals Another Blow To Afghan Peace Talks
  A suicide bomber last week killed former Afghan President Burhanuddin Rabbani, who headed the country's council for peace and reconciliation. His death further damages the already limited prospects of peace negotiations.
• In The Hunt For Al-Qaida, Drone Program Expands
  The U.S. military has had great success with drones in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Now the U.S. is planning to use them to track al-Qaida figures in places that include Somalia and Yemen.
• Air Force And Navy Turn To Biofuels
  The military is trying to make big changes in what fuel it uses. The Air Force and Navy have been testing their aircraft — everything from fighters to unmanned spy planes — on fuel made from vegetable oil or even animal fat. One catch: It costs 10 times the price of traditional fuel.
• Saudi Women To Receive Right To Vote — In 2015
  Businesswoman Nadia Bakhurji has wanted to run for public office in her native Saudi Arabia since 2004, when the country announced it would hold its first municipal elections in 40 years. But she was forced to withdraw her name when the government banned women from running for office — or voting. Melissa Block speaks with Bakhurji for her reactions to the Saudi king's statements over the weekend, vowing to extend women's suffrage.
• Few Consumers Are Cracking The QR Code
  The pixelated images meant to be scanned on a smartphone to take the user to a website may be too involved for too little reward, branding consultants say. Though the codes are more prevalent, only 6 percent of mobile subscribers in the U.S. scan them, and a newer technology may soon overtake it.
• Do This Summer's Disasters Hail Impending Doom?
  Commentator Andrei Codrescu reflects on the disasters and disaster coverage of the summer. He observes that it was a tough season, and we don't know what lies ahead: Will it be a return to normal or a further time of trouble? He wants a new drug to sort it all out.
• From Progress To Problem: China's High-Speed Trains
  Nearly two months after a collision on China's high-speed-rail network killed 40 people, the government is still investigating why it happened. But critics blame the haste with which the network was built, corruption and a disregard for human life.
• New York's New Shipping Plan Sparks Feud
  New York state is poised to implement new rules that could have a major impact on the global shipping industry. Invasive species sometimes move from place to place in "ballast water" — that's the water ships suck in and discharge to level their loads. Officials in New York want all that ballast water treated to kill any "living pollution" before it reaches their harbors. But the treatment technology is expensive and untested. Because the state serves as a gateway to the Great Lakes and ports in New Jersey, other states and countries are disputing the new rules.
• First African Woman To Win Nobel Peace Prize Dies
  The first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize, Wangari Maathai, has died while undergoing treatment for cancer. Maathai was an environmentalist and human rights campaigner who was arrested, imprisoned and beaten for her efforts in Kenya. She was 71. NPR's Ofeibea Quist-Arcton talks to Melissa Block.
• 'Heart And Soul': An African-American History
  Illustrator and author Kadir Nelson tells the African-American story — from Colonial times through the civil rights movement — in his new children's book, Heart and Soul.

The Dinner Party Download™

A fast, funny digest of the week's most interesting news, cuisine, cocktails and culture.

Services

• Hourly Newscast
• HD Radio
• iPhone App / Mobile
• E-mail newsletters
• RSS feeds
• Podcasts
• Submit your photos
• Videos
• Weather
• Most e-mailed stories