Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Fewer Minnesota students hit yearly progress goals
  For the first time, most of the decline in making average yearly progress was in the Twin Cities suburbs.7:20 a.m.
• Congressional candidates debate farm, energy policy
  The Farmfest congressional forum attracted large crowds of farmers and politicians Tuesday near Redwood Falls.7:24 a.m.
• Violent attacks leave police, neighbors rattled
  Two recent attacks at Lake Phalen in St. Paul have rattled police and neighbors alike.7:53 a.m.
• Future Tense with Jon Gordon
  Computer users are riding a wave of cloud computing.8:20 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• U.S. Car Dealers Find Overseas Market Online
  In New Jersey's high-end used automobile dealerships, showrooms are quiet. But some dealers say business is booming: They're shipping secondhand trophy cars to buyers overseas.
• Honduras Embraces Genetically Modified Crops
  Many Third World countries have banned genetically modified crops, but Honduras is encouraging farmers to plant them in response to the global food crisis. The trend could extend to other countries, too, if it's proven to make a difference in farmers' lives.
• Miss. Senate Race Duked Out At County Fair
  Mississippi's senior Senate seat — one held by Trent Lott for almost 19 years — is finally up for grabs. As the campaign season heats up, the candidates address crowds at the Neshoba County Fair, otherwise knows as Mississippi's "Giant House Party."
• Split Verdict On Bin Laden's Driver At Guantanamo
  In the first war crimes trial under the new military system for trying terrorism suspects, defendant Salim Hamdan, Osama bin Laden's driver, was found guilty of some charges but cleared of others Wednesday.
• China's Biggest Lender To Open Branch In N.Y.
  The Federal Reserve on Tuesday said it is allowing China's biggest lender to open up shop in the U.S. — yet another sign of the intertwining of the two nation's economies. The Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, or ICBC, will open its first branch in New York. China's government owns 75 percent of the bank. U.S. investment bank Goldman Sachs owns a small stake.
• Circuit City Apologizes For Pulling 'Mad' Magazine
  Circuit City has issued an apology after company officials pulled a magazine from store shelves. The issue of Mad magazine featured "Sucker City," a parody of the electronics chain. The apology mentions a new task force on "the importance of humor in the corporate workplace" and includes $20 gift cards for the magazine's editors.
• Olympics Preview: Swimming, Gymnastics
  The Beijing Olympic Games open Friday. Christine Brennan, a columnist for USA Today, has a preview of what to watch for in the swimming and gymnastics competitions.
• For Sellers Of Used Goods, Business Is Booming
  Business may be slow in a lot of places, but the consignment industry is booming. Worries about high prices for food and fuel have a lot of people trying to sell old items they might have thrown away or donated in the past.
• Paris Hilton Strikes Back At McCain
  Paris Hilton struck back at John McCain for his ad comparing Barack Obama to some celebrity, like Hilton. Now the heiress appears in a video, wearing a bikini. "That wrinkly white-haired guy used me in a campaign ad, so I guess I'm running for president. ... So thanks for the endorsement, white-haired dude," she says. She proposes an energy policy before saying she might paint the White House pink.
• Poll: White Voters See Obama 'Risky,' McCain 'Safe'
  In a recent poll by the Washington Post and ABC News, more than half of white voters agreed that Barack Obama was a "risky" candidate to hold the power of the presidency, while two-thirds judged John McCain a "safe" candidate.
• Gifts From Mexico Open Door To Childhood
  Commentator Margarita Hernandez emigrated from Mexico to the United States as a child. She lives in Texas now with a family of her own. Hernandez says she looks forward to when her mother returns from trips to Mexico because she brings back packages full of food and mementos that spark childhood memories.
• Middle East Diplomacy, Shrinking U.S. Involvement
  Complex diplomatic negotiations are taking place in the volatile region. With the U.S. taking a back seat in the talks, smaller countries such as Egypt and Syria are stepping up and taking leading roles.
• Rwanda Implicates 33 French Officials In Genocide
  The Rwandan government has accused senior French officials of direct involvement in the slaughter of 800,000 people in 1994. A report from a Rwandan commission investigating the genocide alleges that 33 senior French officials were complicit in it. France says its forces in Rwanda at the time were trying to stop the killing.
• Farming Is Latest Casualty In Drought-Stricken Iraq
  Across Iraq, farmers are struggling with the worst drought the country has faced in years. Some say it's the worst they've seen in their lifetime — and not just because of the lack of rain. Some Iraqi officials blame waste and regional politics, as well as the fighting in Iraqi bread baskets.
• Tracking Ups And Downs Of Global Oil Demand
  When demand for oil rises, so does the price — which leads many people to try to go without, bringing the price back down. John Kingston, director of oil at Platts, which publishes Oilgram News, says the decreased demand for oil in the U.S. has helped bring global oil prices down.

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