Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Amy Gillespie's Mozambique
  A Medelia, Minn. woman is teaching young African children skills most Americans take for granted. She hopes those skills will save some lives.6:50 a.m.
• Oromo immigrants strive to be heard
  Ethnic Oromos are building a thriving community in Minnesota. But they remain at odds with their fellow Ethiopian countrymen over human rights abuses in their homeland.7:24 a.m.
• Art fairs, festivals allow local artists display, compete work
  Cathy Wurzer spoke with Minnesota Public Radio arts commentator Dominic Papatola about the finer points of attending an art show.7:25 a.m.
• Kline, Rowley provide clear choice on Iraq
  Polls suggest the war in Iraq will be a major issue for voters in the November election. The two leading candidates in Minnesota's 2nd Congressional District are on opposite sides of the war.7:40 a.m.
• Power grids stressed by summer heat, storms across U.S.
  Cathy Wurzer spoke with Stephen Kozey, Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary with the Midwest Independent Transmission System Operator (ISO). Midwest ISO is an organization that manages the transmission of electricity in Minnesota, several other midwestern states and parts of Canada.7:50 a.m.
• After the fire
  From a distance, much of the land affected by the Cavity Lake wildfire looks like it's burned to a crisp. But even in the blackened areas, life is not only surviving, but thriving.8:40 a.m.
• Rookies, select veterans open Vikings training camp, Greenway expected to sign today
  Cathy Wurzer spoke with Sean Jensen, who reports on the Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press.8:55 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Poll Suggests GOP Control of House Is Tenuous
  The latest NPR poll took the pulse of likely voters in the 50 most competitive House districts across the country. Forty of those seats are currently held by Republicans. The results suggest that the GOP's grasp on the majority may be fragile.
• Now That's a Stretch! (And It Won't Hurt a Bit)
  Shorter and gentler is better. And focus on one muscle at a time. The result can be fantastic flexibility.
• Art and History Intersect at a Paris Shop
  On the Left Bank of the River Seine, directly across from the Louvre museum, a crowded little shop has provided supplies to artists for more than 100 years. Cezanne bought oil paints there. Picasso liked their gray pastels. The shop, Sennelier, is a Paris repository of art history and commerce.
• Testosterone Test Taints Tour de France Winner
  Tour de France champion Floyd Landis has tested positive for high levels of testosterone, according to a statement from his cycling team Phonak. The test was conducted after Landis' remarkable performance in the 17th stage of the race. A new sample will now be tested to try to confirm the first reading.
• Voting Rights Act Renewed with Help of Big Business
  President Bush signs into law a bill renewing of the Voting Rights Act. When the bill ran into resistance from some southern senators, supporters turned to a surprising constituency for support: big business. Officials from big companies like Wal-Mart and Walt Disney lined up to support it.
• Despite Loss, has GM Turned the Corner?
  Troubled auto giant General Motors lost $3.2 billion in the second quarter. But there are indications that the company's restructuring plan is starting to pay off. Don Gonyea talks to Paul Eisenstein, editorial director of The Car Connection, about GM's prospects.
• Hezbollah Fighters Hard to Spot in Battle Zone
  Hezbollah's leader says his goal is not to hold the villages of south Lebanon, but to inflict as many casualties as possible on Israeli troops. Hezbollah fighters are present throughout the region. But, like guerrillas in previous conflicts, they are largely invisible.
• Bolton U.N. Nomination Returns to the Senate
  Just more than a year ago, Sen. George Voinovich (R-OH) stood in the way of controversial U.N. ambassador pick John Bolton. The Bush administration worked around Senate opposition by giving Bolton a recess appointment to the job. Now Bolton is back up for Senate confirmation.
• Israel Decides Against Expanded Offensive
  Israel decides not to expand its 17-day-old offensive in Lebanon, one day after its soldiers suffered their bloodiest day in the battle against Hezbollah. Nine soldiers were killed Wednesday, and almost two dozen wounded, in two Lebanese towns near Israel's northern border.
• An Early Flame, Rekindled Late in Life
  Clayton Rice and Dorothy Rae Lukins are going to be married this weekend. Some say it's too soon, that the couple should wait longer. After all, they argue, Clayton Rice is only very recently widowed. What's more, he and Ms. Lukins have been dating just over a month.
• San Francisco Prepares for Universal Health Care
  Mayor Gavin Newsom will soon sign a measure that makes San Francisco the first city in America with universal health care for its citizens. But some business owners say they're being forced to pick up too much of the price tag.
• Specter Proposes Bill to Challenge President
  Some members of Congress are upset at President Bush's practice of signing bills into law, while attaching statements explaining why he may choose not enforce the law. Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) is proposing a bill that would give either the House or the Senate standing to go to court to challenge those "signing statements."
• Civil Liberties Groups Oppose Surveillance Bill
  The White House has done an about-face, and announced support for legislation that is supposed to place limits on domestic surveillance by the National Security Agency. That change of heart has given civil-liberties groups one more reason to oppose the legislation Congress is examining.
• Bending Mind and Body to Jump Higher
  What determines why someone can jump higher than others? The mind of the jumper may be the key. Reporter David Kohn talks to athletes and experts to find out.
• Big-Bellied Men Who Take the Heat
  Europe is in the grip of a heat wave. But at the World Santa Claus Convention in Copenhagen, Santas kept their fur-trimmed suits on, parading through the city and competing in a belly-laughing contest. In Britain, men who bare their bellies are causing a stir. As more pot-bellied men beat the heat in just a pair of shorts -- The Daily Mail has run photos of the worst offenders. And one politician now hopes to ban men from going topless on the street.

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