Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• A look at the Olympics from street level
  The focus of the world has been on the Olympics, and on its host city Beijing. MPR's Melody Ng has been journaling her return to the Chinese capital city 15 years after living there.6:51 a.m.
• Energy becomes a big issue in Senate race
  With the cost of gasoline on voters' minds, U.S. Senate candidates Al Franken and Norm Coleman are talking a lot about their energy plans.7:20 a.m.
• Markets with Chris Farrell
  Minnesota Public Radio's chief economics correspondent Chris Farrell discusses the latest economic news.7:50 a.m.
• Future Tense with Jon Gordon
  Blogger recommends five useful Web 2.0 sites.8:20 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Breaking The Silence Of A Secret POW Camp
  Almost by accident, the National Park Service stumbled upon a largely untold piece of U.S. history: Fort Hunt, a park in Virginia, had been a top-secret interrogation camp during World War II. The Park Service is trying to piece together the camp's past.
• The Legacy Of A Nation's 'Native Son'
  A century after Richard Wright's birth, his books still resonate — both with his daughter, Julia, and with a new generation of fans, some of whom are just discovering the author.
• Aussie Town's 'Odds Are Good, But Goods Are Odd'
  An Australian mining town has a shortage of available women, so the mayor offered a solution: recruit ugly women to live there. The mayor says his comments were "twisted" after women responded furiously. A local woman says men are more numerous but not so great: "We've got a saying, that the odds are good, but the goods are odd."
• Sharp Writing, '60s Vibe Draw Viewers To 'Mad Men'
  The AMC program Mad Men had fewer than a million viewers per episode in its first season. Its sharp writing and cool '60s clothes get nowhere near the ratings of cable hits like WWE Raw, The Secret Life of the American Teenager and Spongebob Squarepants. But more people are watching Mad Men's second season.
• Analysis: Candidates' Potential Running Mates
  Speculation continues to grow on who will be the vice presidential nominees. Democrat Barack Obama and Republican John McCain have not made any official announcements or given any hints as to whom they might chose as a running mate.
• Magazine Misses Memo On 'Potter' Postponement
  Warner Bros. announced last week that it's postponing the release of the sixth Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. The news apparently didn't reach the offices of Entertainment Weekly in time for its fall preview issue, which features the star of the film on the cover and a six-page spread on the movie.
• Gasoline Prices Fall, But Not As Far As Oil Prices
  Geopolitical worries did nothing to arrest the drop in oil prices last week, and the roller coaster hasn't reached the bottom yet. Oil prices have fallen more than twice as far as gasoline prices, suggesting that even if crude oil prices level off, there's room for additional savings at the gas pump.
• Storm Threatens To Disrupt Oil Supply
  Oil forecasters are watching the weather — and oil prices rose Monday in Asia — as Tropical Storm Fay headed toward the Florida Keys. The storm, which is expected to turn into a hurricane, could disrupt supply. Tourists were ordered out of the Keys on Sunday, and oil giant Royal Dutch Shell has evacuated about 360 staff members from the Gulf of Mexico.
• Coping With Move From War To Home — And Back
  Commentator Ben Tupper is back from his tour of duty as a National Guard officer in Afghanistan. He has been dealing with post-traumatic stress. Recently he had a reunion with a friend whose PTSD is much worse — and who has much less time to work on it, because he is about to deploy to Iraq.
• Atlantic City Tries To Widen Its Appeal To Tourists
  Officials in Atlantic City like to boast that the New Jersey vacation spot is within a day's drive for a third of the U.S. population. But that fact isn't translating into booming business this summer. From souvenir stands on the boardwalk to the casinos and hotels, high gas prices and the soft economy are taking a toll.
• Democrats Losing Ground In Louisiana
  With all the fallout from Hurricane Katrina, it might be difficult to imagine that Louisiana would be the one state where the political picture is improving for Republicans. The deeply entrenched Democratic Party is losing ground as GOP candidates make a play for power.
• Pakistan's Embattled President Musharraf Resigns
  Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf announced Monday that he is resigning rather than face impeachment. Musharraf dominated Pakistan for years after seizing power in a 1999 military coup. Pakistani journalist Fasi Zaka says Musharraf's allies had been largely mum on whether they'd support him in fighting impeachment.
• China's Champion Hurdler Pulls Out Of Race
  China's single greatest hope for the Olympics is over. The highlight of the games was supposed to be hurdler Liu Xiang defending his gold medal on home soil. But Liu suddenly dropped out of the qualifying heats after an injury. His surprise exit left fans stunned and tearful.
• Bringing Bollywood To The U.S.
  An Indian conglomerate has acquired more than 200 movie screens across the United States in the past year. The company, Reliance, is using the theaters to showcase Indian films. Now it's grabbing headlines for reported plans to set up a new movie venture with Steven Spielberg.
• Facing Impeachment, Pakistan's Musharraf Resigns
  Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf, a close ally of the U.S. in a volatile region, resigned Monday in a televised address amid impeachment charges he had vowed to fight. His allies at home were fast fading away, and he was under pressure at home and abroad to quit.

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