Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Senate race gets crowded
  The race for Minnesota's U.S. Senate seat is a lot more crowded. A total of 18 candidates are seeking the seat currently held by Republican Norm Coleman.7:20 a.m.
• Hog farmers succumbing to high corn prices
  High corn prices are forcing many Minnesota hog producers to cut back or even shutdown their business.7:24 a.m.
• High gas, food prices take their toll on Simon Delivers
  High food and fuel costs have led to the demise of the Twin Cities-based online grocery service Simon Delivers.7:50 a.m.
• Rybak calls for more plug-in hybrid conversions
  A new partnership in Minnesota will make it easier for the owners of hybrid vehicles to convert their cars to plug-in hybrids.7:54 a.m.
• Despite bad bank news, most deposits are safe
  U.S. Bank, one of Minnesota's biggest banks, is feeling the effects of a weakening economy. The bank yesterday reported its second-quarter earnings slumped more than expected -- nearly 20 percent to 950 million dollars. The bank is seeing more loans go bad.8:24 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Candidates Clash On Impact Of Offshore Drilling
  John McCain and Barack Obama agree that the price of oil is too high but differ on what to do about it. McCain would allow states to drill offshore for oil. Obama says such drilling wouldn't help lower prices anytime soon, but would have environmental consequences.
• 'Dark Knight' Marks Latest Battle Of Comic Titans
  Batman returns to the big screen Friday with the release of The Dark Knight. It's the latest in a spate of recent movies about superheroes. It's also the latest round in the contest between two giants of the comic book industry: DC and Marvel.
• Growing Pains In The Land Of Bollywood
  An influx of investment and new residents has brought great prosperity to the Indian metropolis of Mumbai, home to the Bollywood movie industry. However, with the emergence of "New" Mumbai, wealth disparities have been exposed and difficulties confronted.
• U.S. Diplomat To Meet Iran's Nuclear Negotiator
  A high-ranking U.S. diplomat will attend talks with Iran's chief nuclear negotiator this weekend in Switzerland. There won't be a private meeting between the two, nor will there be any negotiations on the nuclear issue. Still, it's the highest level contact between the United States and Iran since 1979.
• Israel, Hezbollah Agree To Prisoner Exchange
  Two summers after their kidnapping led to war, two soldiers' remains have been reclaimed by Israel. The Lebanese group Hezbollah handed them over in exchange for Israel giving up five prisoners and the bodies of many more fighters.
• Congress Overrides Bush Veto On Medicare Bill
  President Bush's veto of a Medicare bill didn't survive Congress. The House and Senate were able to easily override his attempt to strike down a bill that protects doctors from a more than 10 percent cut in their Medicare reimbursement rates. It was the third veto override of the Bush presidency.
• SEC Eyes Stock Manipulation In Brokers' Collapse
  The Securities and Exchange Commission says it wants to ban the practice of naked short-selling, and it announced a temporary ban on naked short sales of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's shares. The practice is sometimes used to manipulate the price of a company's stock. But critics say the SEC is using it as a scapegoat.
• GM Targets White-Collar Jobs In Downsizing
  General Motors is making more cuts. White-collar retirees were told Tuesday not to count on supplemental health insurance after age 65. And the company is eliminating thousands of white-collar jobs. GM officials said they hope to accomplish the downsizing through attrition and buyouts.
• Mass. May Allow Nonresident Gay Marriages
  In Massachusetts, the Senate has voted to repeal an old law that has been used to keep out-of-state couples from marrying in the state. The law prohibits couples from getting marriage licenses if they can't legally wed in their home states. Gay and lesbian couples from across the nation may soon be able to get married in Massachusetts.
• Wisconsin Town's Federal Aid Tied Up In Floodwater
  Spring Green, Wis., is still underwater after last month's devastating floods in the Midwest. Officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency say they can only do damage assessments once the water recedes. That could take months, so some residents are pushing a plan to hasten the drainage.
• How One McCain Proposal Could Cut Fuel Costs
  Presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and John McCain have proposals for dealing with the tight supply of oil. But Bob Pindyck, a professor of economics and finance at MIT, says most of those proposals would make a limited difference at best — except for McCain's plan to remove the tariff on Brazilian ethanol.
• Lawmakers Mixed On Bush's Call To Expand Drilling
  At Tuesday's White House news conference, President Bush urged Congress to lift its ban on offshore oil drilling. Democratic leaders in Congress reacted coolly to the president's demand, but seemed to leave a door open to putting the issue to a vote.
• IndyMac Collapse Prompts Warning On Other Banks
  The long lines continue in Southern California at IndyMac Bank branches. There has been a run on the failed bank since federal regulators took over Friday. The takeover raises questions about the health of other financial institutions.
• Gloomy Testimony From Treasury, Fed Chiefs
  Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson did his best to defend the department's rescue plan for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac on Tuesday on Capitol Hill, while Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke delivered a downbeat summary of the problems facing the U.S. economy.
• Obama Campaign Works To Boost Latino Voter Rolls
  Hispanic voters could make the difference in a number of crucial swing states in November's presidential election. During the Democratic primaries, Latinos picked Hillary Clinton over Barack Obama by a margin of nearly 2-to-1. Part of the Obama campaign's strategy is encouraging Latinos to register to vote.

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