Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Central Corridor line approved, despite U of M's objections
  Plans for a light rail transit route connecting St. Paul and Minneapolis will move forward, but without the complete blessings of the University of Minnesota.7:20 a.m.
• A once valuable nuclear tool now a liability for Univ
  The 35W bridge collapse forces the university's hand with giant, dusty particle accelerator.7:25 a.m.
• Delta flight attendants reject union
  An effort to unionize flight attendants at Delta Air Lines has failed. But there'll be another union vote if Delta succeeds in acquiring Eagan-based Northwest Airlines.7:50 a.m.
• Uncertainty over conservation programs in the farm bill
  The new farm bill has more funding for conservation, but not everyone is happy with how that money will be spent.7:55 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Obama Renews Efforts to Win Over Hispanics
  Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has struggled to win over Hispanic voters who know and like his opponent Hillary Clinton. Now, as Obama looks forward to Sunday's Puerto Rico primary, and possibly the general election, his campaign is redoubling its efforts to connect with the Hispanic community.
• Equipment Shortage Limits Oil Exploration
  As the price of oil keeps rising, companies are putting more money into exploration. But oil exploration has been limited by a severe shortage of drilling equipment and labor — and government opposition.
• U.S. Beef Imports to Resume Fully in S. Korea
  After years of diplomatic wrangling, South Korea announced Thursday that it will start inspecting U.S. beef imports. The move will lead to a full resumption of American beef imports for the first time in four years. A case of mad cow disease in Washington state prompted the nation to close its doors to the imports.
• Battle for Resources Grows as Lake Victoria Shrinks
  Africa's Lake Victoria, the world's largest tropical lake, is shrinking. As its waters subside, battles over the lake's resources increase.
• Dunkin' Donuts Scraps Ad over Scarf Criticism
  Dunkin' Donuts has pulled a new ad featuring Rachael Ray after some bloggers said it promoted terrorism. In the ad, Ray is wearing a scarf similar to the black and white kaffiyeh that conservative commentators note was popularized by Yasser Arafat.
• Monkeys Control Robotic Arm with Thoughts
  A couple of lab monkeys reaching for marshmallows could hold the key to restoring arm function in paralyzed people. The monkeys grabbed their snacks with robotic arms controlled by just their thoughts. The study shows that prosthetics controlled by the brain are possible.
• U.S. Schools Tap Growing Ranks of Chinese Students
  As more and more Chinese go to college, U.S. universities are trying to grab a piece of this growing market. Even smaller schools feel they must have some sort of exchange program with Chinese schools. Many students think a global education is important to their success in the job market.
• China Amends Child Policy for Some Quake Victims
  Many parents in China who lost a child in the earthquake lost their only child. Chinese officials this week said families are allowed to have another child if their child was killed, injured or disabled in the quake. Tyrene White, author of a book about China's birth planning, talks about the policy.
• Coping with Rising Gas, Food Prices
  Many people have been watching the rise of fuel prices with dread. Now they're worrying about increasing costs of food staples, like bread, eggs and milk. People in one Illinois city are trying to adjust.
• Brisk Spam Sales Help Boost Hormel's Profits
  As rising oil prices and food prices eat into household budgets, people are shifting to more affordable edibles. Spam's maker, Hormel, has seen a 14 percent jump in profits for the recent quarter — in part because its famous canned meat product is selling so well, the company says. The average 12-ounce can costs $2.62.
• Exxon Investors Reject Green Resolutions
  Exxon Mobil shareholders rejected efforts to make the oil giant a bit greener Wednesday. The initiative was led by descendants of Exxon founder John D. Rockefeller.
• Letter from India: Murder and the Wealth Gap
  In his latest "Letter from India," NPR's Philip Reeves explains how the wealth gap plays into India's obsession with murder — both fictional and real.
• Chinese Troops Work to Prevent Flooding
  Survivors of the devastating earthquake in southwestern China are facing the prospect of widespread flooding. Chinese troops have been working around the clock to drain an earthquake-created lake that is in danger of bursting its banks.
• Mich. Democrats Offer Plan to Restore Delegates
  The Democratic Party this weekend is expected to resolve the uncertainty over whether Michigan's 156 delegates will be seated at the party's national convention. The state was stripped of its delegates because its early primary violated party rules. Michigan's Democratic leaders are going to Washington with a plan for restoring its delegates.
• Fla. Democrats Challenge Ruling Barring Delegates
  The Democratic delegate situation remains unresolved in Florida. The state violated Democratic National Committee rules by holding its primary early and was told its delegates would not be seated at the party's convention. A DNC panel meets this weekend to try to reach a compromise.

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