Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Lynx excited about the chance to be the team people are talking about
  The Vikings and Timberwolves finished their seasons in last place and the Twins seem doomed to follow. As the Lynx open their season Friday, they could fill the winning void.4:49 p.m.
• U of M power plant going greener
  The University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis quite literally runs on lots and lots of steam. It's used for heating in the winter, and powers equipment that provides air conditioning in the summer. That steam is created at a power plant fired by coal and natural gas. But because of concerns over pollution, U of M officials say they're going to drastically reduce the amount of coal burned at the facility near downtown Minneapolis.4:54 p.m.
• More talk, little movement on budget from Dayton, GOP
  DFL Gov. Mark Dayton and Republican legislative leaders talked again Friday about the budget, but there's still no agreement to erase a projected $5 billion deficit or avoid a looming government shutdown.5:19 p.m.
• Somali bomber's Minnesota ties still unclear
  The FBI is still trying to confirm the identity of a Somali man said to be from Minnesota who died in an attack on African Union troops Monday in Mogadishu. The rebel group al-Shabab, considered a terrorist group by the U.S. government, said the bomber was from Minnesota.5:22 p.m.
• Journalist Roxana Saberi joins hunger strike for hikers in Iran
  Journalist and Fargo, N.D., native Roxana Saberi has joined a rolling hunger strike to show solidarity for two American hikers being held in prison in Iran.5:50 p.m.
• Artist presents 'Scattered Lights' at the Northern Spark arts festival
  Northern Spark is a 'nuit blanche' or white night festival, running from dusk till dawn. It will feature hundreds of artists: performers, sculptors, and a host of others all with work designed to be seen at night.5:54 p.m.
• Northern Spark festival starts Saturday
  About 100 different performances or installations will be at the festival, which starts Saturday evening and doesn't stop until Sunday morning.5:56 p.m.
• The Dinner Party Download featuring Michael Sheen
  On this week's Dinner Party Download, Tim Burton delivers a joke, the world's most famous streaker and guest of honor Michael Sheen.6:20 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Jobs Numbers May Point To Faltering Recovery
  The Labor Department reported Friday that the economy added only 54,000 jobs in May. That was far less than most economists had been expecting, and the new data suggest the economic recovery may be faltering. The unemployment rate rose to 9.1 percent from 9 percent in April.
• Week In Politics: GOP Presidential Field
  Robert Siegel speaks with our regular political commentators, E.J. Dionne of The Washington Post and Brookings Institution, and David Brooks of The New York Times.
• Shaquille O'Neal Retires
  Robert Siegel and Michele Norris report that NBA star Shaquille O'Neal announced he will retire from basketball.
• Blagojevich Faces Tough Questions From Prosecution
  Ousted Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich has been testifying at his corruption trial for days, giving jurors background information. But on Thursday afternoon, the trip down memory lane ended as the prosecution got its chance to question the former governor.
• Jack Kevorkian, Assisted Suicide Advocate, Dies At 83
  Jack Kevorkian, the man known as "Dr. Death," died Friday at a Michigan hospital. Kevorkian, who claimed to have assisted in at least 130 suicides, was released from prison in 2007 after serving eight years for second-degree murder.
• Yemen's President Injured From Attack
  Embattled Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh was injured Friday after his presidential palace was attacked by tribal fighters armed with rockets. It's a major escalation of the violence in Yemen. The peaceful protests calling for the president's ouster may now be giving way to an all-out battle for power between Yemeni tribes. Michele Norris talks with Hakim Almasmari, the editor in chief for the Yemen Post, about the attacks — and the latest on the unrest in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa.
• In Syria, Protesters Mark 'Children's Friday'
  Protesters brave the streets of Syrian cities amid an ongoing government crackdown that has left more than 1,000 dead in the past two months. Friday's demonstrations are dedicated to the children who've been killed since the uprising began. NPR's Deborah Amos talks to Robert Siegel.
• What If We Don't Raise The Debt Ceiling?
  Refusing to raise the $14.3 trillion U.S. debt limit would be an almost unprecedented move, but some conservatives argue it's the only way to get federal spending under control.
• Texas Gets The Accordion Bug And Never Looks Back
  A loud, party-friendly "orchestra in a box," the accordion spread like wildfire across Texas after German and Czech immigrants brought it to their dance halls. Out of the polka came styles like conjunto and zydeco. Wade Goodwyn reports on where the instrument stands today in the Lone Star State.
• John Edwards Affair Leads To Federal Indictment
  A grand jury accuses Edwards of using presidential campaign funds to support his mistress and their child. Edwards concedes he did wrong, but says he did not break the law.

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