Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• The heat is coming
  MPR's Cathy Wurzer talks with University of Minnesota climitologist Mark Seeley about the heat index and the warm days ahead.6:55 a.m.
• Lines drawn over subsidy cap in farm bill
  Subcommittee work is underway in Congress on a new farm bill. House lawmakers mainly from southern states oppose major changes in the farm subsidy program.7:20 a.m.
• Northern landscapes reflect Nordic identity
  A new exhibition of paintings at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts explores the importance of the landscape to Nordic cultural identity.7:50 a.m.
• Music of the Viking age
  A Danish band named Krauka blends ancient and contemporary music to bring the Viking sagas to life.7:55 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Researchers: IQ Matches Birth Order for Sons
  First-born boys traditionally inherit thrones, family wealth, and, testing has found: a higher IQ. The practice has been given a boost by a new study in The Journal of Science. Norwegian researchers found that second sons whose older brothers died young and left them at the top of the heap scored higher on IQ tests.
• High Court Sentencing Vote May Bode Ill for Libby
  I. Lewis "Scooter" Libby, former chief of staff to Vice President Cheney, is appealing his sentence of 30 months in prison for lying and obstructing an investigation into the leak of a CIA operative's identity. But the situation isn't looking good after the U.S. Supreme Court voted 8-1 to uphold the sentencing decision of a man convicted on similar charges.
• Blackstone Raises $4 Billion in Initial Stock Sale
  Private-equity group Blackstone begins trading its shares on the New York Stock Exchange, after the company offered more than 130 million shares to the public Friday. The initial shares were sold at $31 a share. The deal raised more than $4 billion in capital.
• West Bank Militants Pose Test for Abbas
  The international community is rallying behind Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas as he faces off with the Islamic militant group Hamas. But he is also facing a key battle in his own party, over controlling Fatah's militant wing, the Al Aksa Martyrs Brigades.
• CIA Kidnapping, Wiretapping of '60s, '70s Revealed
  A new set of declassified CIA documents set for release next week detail CIA kidnappings, wiretapping without warrants, assassination attempts and surveillance of American journalists and activists up until 1974. Tom Blanton, director of the National Security Archive, talks with Renee Montagne.
• Thomas Tank Engine Toy Recall Angers Parents
  RC2, a suburban Chicago-based toy company, voluntarily began recalling some Thomas the Tank Engine railway toys because the Chinese factory that makes them used lead paints. Parents are outraged the problem went undiscovered for so long.
• Background Checks Snarl Naturalization Process
  Immigrants who want to become American citizens used to be able to fill out an application after living in the U.S. for five years, provide a copy of their green card, and get an answer in a matter of weeks. But the FBI's backlog of background checks is stretching out the process for years.
• Father vs. Father: Two Traditions Square Off
  Tony Gargagliano's father came to New York from Italy as a teenager in 1908. But he held on to many of his Old World ways — much to the aggravation —and the delight — of his son. For instance, there was the day they went to get his father's third marriage annulled.
• In the Media, a De-Emphasis on President Bush
  President Bush was pushing his ideas for energy legislation while in Alabama at the Browns Ferry nuclear plant Thursday. But the visit received little media attention. While President Bush dismisses talk of being a lame duck, he is being squeezed out of the headlines mainly by the people campaigning for his job.
• Wimbledon Tournament Promises Excitement
  Wimbledon, the most famous tennis championship in the world, is set to begin on Monday. Roger Federer is almost unbeatable on grass surfaces. On the women's side Serena Williams will be watched closely. Christine Brennan, USA Today columnist and author, previews the tournament for Renee Montagne.
• Logistics Mean an Iraq Exit Can't Happen Quickly
  To take all U.S. forces and their equipment out of Iraq would take 10 to 14 months because of the packing and cleaning that has to be done to vehicles and other equipment let alone an orderly movement of 160,000 troops. Troops and their equipment will have to move constantly over dangerous roads to Kuwait.
• Local Election Officials Oppose Paper Ballots
  County election officials are joining others across the country in opposing legislation to require paper ballots for all voting equipment. They say it will cause chaos in next year's election. Hundreds of angry letters have poured into congressional offices.
• In Detroit, Some Schools Are Really Out Forever
  For 33 schools in Detroit it's the last day ever. Enrollment in the Detroit public schools has plummeted in the last decade. Fed up with poor achievement, families are moving to the suburbs, or switching to charter schools and other alternatives. So the city is closing buildings, reassigning students, and laying off teachers.
• Gaza Residents See Calm after Hamas Rout
  Life in Gaza has quieted after recent violent clashes between Palestinian factions that resulted in the area falling to Hamas rule. All Gaza residents are not supportive of Hamas but remain calm. And some loyal to Fatah are still in Gaza. Fadi Bakheet, a Gaza resident and translator, talks about life in Gaza since the Hamas takeover with Renee Montagne.
• Green is the New Black for Corporate America
  Businesses are trying to remake their image to look more environmentally friendly. It's a transformation that began more than a decade ago. Don Carli, a research fellow at the Institute for Sustainable Communication, discusses the new corporate trend with Renee Montagne.

Resources

• Future Tense®
• Marketplace Morning Report®
• Mark Seeley's WeatherTalk

Services

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

Become a Sponsor