Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Minnesota welcomes top golfers to U.S. Women's Open
  The U.S. Women's Open golf tournament starts this morning at Interlachen Country Club in Edina. Some of the world's best female golfers will compete there this week, including retiring champion Annika Sorenstam.6:50 a.m.
• Minnesotan is the oldest in the Women's Open field
  The oldest player to take to the Interlachen course is Martha Nause of Minnesota. Nause, 53, coaches golf at Macalester College in St. Paul.6:55 a.m.
• Jeune Lune closing concerns arts community
  Internationally acclaimed Minneapolis-based Theatre de la Jeune Lune announced this weekend it's calling it quits because of mounting debts. The news is causing members of the arts community to look back and look forward.7:20 a.m.
• Hospitals say they're ready for Republican convention
  Hospital officials say they'll be ready for a worst-case scenario. But a recent federal report questioned whether local emergency rooms have the capacity for a large-scale disaster, particularly an act of terrorism.7:25 a.m.
• Markets with Chris Farrell
  Minnesota Public Radio's chief economics correspondent Chris Farrell discusses oil prices and other economic news.7:50 a.m.
• Mikhail Baryshnikov, photographer
  Legendary dancer and occasional actor Mikhail Baryshnikov was in Minneapolis this weekend for the opening of an exhibition of his photography.7:55 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Nancy Drew: Curious, Independent and Usually Right
  She was born in 1930, but she's perpetually 18 — and always one step ahead of the adults. For NPR's In Character series, Renee Montagne delivers the scoop on the iconic American girl sleuth: Nancy Drew.
• Members of Congress Meet on Oil Speculation
  Lawmakers in Washington are sharpening their focus on the oil markets. They're having a hearing Monday to discuss how much of the run-up in oil prices is due to financial speculation.
• Ads for Candy, Video Game Earn Top Honors
  Commercials for sweets took top prizes at the ad industry's annual awards ceremony in Cannes, France. More than 4,000 commercials were in the running. Top awards went to a TV ad for Skittles, an ad for the videogame Halo, and one for Cadbury milk chocolate.
• NASA Helps Astronauts Cast Ballots from Space
  Astronauts aboard the International Space Station are far away from the action in the presidential race. Luckily for them, NASA and Texas understand the unique needs of space-traveling citizens, who want their votes counted.
• Analysis: Presidential Campaign Enters New Phase
  In this first official week of summer, the presidential campaign enters a new phase. Republican John McCain and Democrat Barack Obama are engaging each other in the battle for general election votes.
• Saudis' Oil Boost May Not Help U.S. Gas Prices
  Saudi Arabia has pledged to put out more oil this year if the market needs it. The pledge falls short of U.S. hopes for a specific increase and may do little to lower prices in the short-term.
• Mineral Makeup: Is it Really More Natural?
  Makeup made from minerals is all the rage. Manufacturers claim that it is more natural than traditional makeup because it's made from ground minerals.
• Saudis Promise Modest Boost in Oil Production
  Saudi Arabia, the world's largest oil producer, has promised to boost production modestly. But some energy forecasters aren't jumping for joy.
• Geopolitical Alliances Shift with Rising Oil Prices
  The price of oil has risen to a point where it is creating a new geopolitical dynamic. Countries flush with oil dollars are gaining economic power. Political, economic and military alliances are shifting as countries that rely on enormous imports of oil rethink their relations with oil-producing nations.
• Senate Aims to Slash Bush's Foreign Aid Program
  The Senate is looking to cut more than $500 million from the Bush administration's key foreign aid program, the Millennium Challenge Corp. Critics say such deep cuts to the program would be deadly.
• Mississippi River Flood Defense Lacks Funding
  After the devastating 1993 floods, a few Midwestern states got together with the Army Corps of Engineers to draw up a plan to build higher levee walls along the Mississippi River. The plan could have helped limit the recent flooding; a final draft was released in February. But it doesn't look like the federal government will fund it.
• Iconoclastic Comic George Carlin Dies at 71
  Comedian George Carlin has died at the age of 71. Carlin's "Seven Words You Can Never Say on TV" routine resulted in a Supreme Court ruling upholding the government's authority to sanction radio stations for broadcasting offensive language.
• Mugabe's Opponent Quits amid Escalating Violence
  In Zimbabwe, opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai withdrew Sunday from the upcoming runoff election. Tsvangirai, leader of the Movement for Democratic Change, said he's stepping down because he can no longer watch his supporters being killed for the sake of power.
• Mugabe's Rival Exits Race, Calls Runoff a Sham
  Zimbabwe's opposition leader has withdrawn from the country's presidential runoff election, saying the loss of life among his supporters is too high a price to pay. Morgan Tsvangirai says President Robert Mugabe has run a violent, illegitimate election. Tsvangirai's withdrawal spurred reaction from African leaders and the United Nations.
• Blackbirds Bombard Pedestrians, Bikers in Chicago
  In a Hitchcock-like scene, birds are attacking Chicago, dive-bombing residents as they walk or bicycle. Experts say male blackbirds become aggressive during nesting season, which is now. The Chicago Tribune reports that one resident managed to scare off an attacking blackbird by barking like a dog.

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