Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• FEMA official explains denial for flood damage aid
  In it's announcement yesterday, FEMA said that "damage to dwellings was not of such severity and magnitude as to warrant the implementation of individual assistance." FEMA spokesperson Richard Gifford discussed the decision with Morning Edition host Cathy Wurzer.6:50 a.m.
• Flood victims cope without prospect of FEMA aid
  Residents of flood-ravaged northeastern Minnesota are absorbing the news that the federal government likely won't be helping with the recovery.6:55 a.m.
• St. Paul crime lab problems 'a wake-up call for everybody'
  State public defender John Stuart has called a meeting of chief public defenders to discuss what to in the aftermath of problems revealed at the St. Paul crime lab.7:20 a.m.
• Bachmann's comments draw criticism from family of a McCarthy target
  The controversy over Rep. Michele Bachmann's claims that the Muslim Brotherhood has infiltrated the U.S. government continues.7:25 a.m.
• Educators hope summer learning can narrow achievement gap
  By this point during their long summer vacation, many children have forgotten some of what they learned during the school year. There's growing evidence that summer learning programs might help many students.7:45 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Fight For Syria's Big Cities Intensifies
  A big counterattack is brewing in Syria's most important city after Damascus. Rebel fighters had taken control of parts of Aleppo but say heavy reinforcements for the Syrian army are now arriving. Activists also say that in Damascus, loyalist forces have been exacting a bloody revenge. Even as Syrians — from soldiers to diplomats — are turning against the regime, the power on the ground remains with the military.
• Unspinning The Narrative Of A Syrian Massacre
  At least 100 people were killed in the village of Tremseh earlier this month. Activists called it a massacre of innocent civilians by government forces, but later reports suggested something different. After a week with rebel fighters, NPR's Kelly McEvers learned some previously untold details about the killing.
• Meet The Drug Dealer Who Helps Addicts Quit
  A prescription drug called Suboxone helps wean people off of heroin and pain pills, but addicts have a hard time getting prescriptions. So they're turning to the black market.
• Acid Attacks A Rising Menace For Colombian Women
  A brutal crime more commonly associated with South Asian nations has made its way to Colombia — acid attacks on women by spurned lovers, jealous husbands or even complete strangers. Once sporadic, the number of cases is growing; so far this year, 100 such attacks have already been reported.
• British Ambassador Mum On Olympic Opener
  Renee Montagne interviews Sir Peter Westmacott, Britain's ambassador to the U.S., ahead of tomorrow's opening ceremonies for London's Summer Games.
• Watching The Olympics, Online And Everywhere
  The iPad didn't exist at the last Olympics — the 2010 Winter Games. But when London Summer Games begin Friday, millions of people around the world will watch the action on tablets, mobile phones or other digital gadgets.
• Caterpillar Inc. Strike Continues Amid Record Profits
  Illinois-based Caterpillar Inc. reported soaring second-quarter profits amid growing demand for its heavy construction and mining equipment, and it's on pace for record profits for the year. But three months into a strike by hundreds of workers at a suburban Chicago plant, Cat refuses to sweeten the "last, best offer" that would freeze pay, reduce pension benefits and increase health care costs. The CEO says Cat is ready to cut costs even more if the economy should weaken.
• For Temp Workers, 'Temp' Looking More Permanent
  The temp industry has done well in the economic recovery. But while temporary work used to be considered a steppingstone to a full-time job, some experts argue that employers may be less inclined than in the past to shift away from temp staffers when the economy rebounds.
• Church Steeples Doubling As Cellphone Towers
  Cellphone carriers are having a hard time finding places to build new towers, so they're making deals with churches to put antennas in steeples. The Baltimore Sun reports that the churches get more than $1,000 a month for each antenna. A half-dozen congregations in the Baltimore area have now leased out their bell towers.
• In Drought-Stricken Midwest, It's Fodder Vs. Fuel
  As the drought continues to afflict the nation's corn belt, hog and chicken farmers are competing with ethanol factories for scarce and increasingly expensive corn. Meat producers say it's not a fair competition, because government rules call for a minimum level of ethanol production, no matter what the cost. They're campaigning for a suspension of those rules.

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