Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• Ron Paul supporters want voice at convention
  As the state Republican convention gets underway in Rochester, Minnesota supporters of Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul want to be heard, and that has party officials worried.6:50 a.m.
• Coleman acknowledges tough race ahead
  As Republicans gather to endorse him for re-election, Sen. Norm Coleman is talking a lot about his public service experience and Democrat Al Franken.7:20 a.m.
• Union County residents vote on oil refinery
  In Union County, South Dakota, residents cast their vote on a plan that could bring a $10 billion oil refinery to the southeastern tip of the state.7:50 a.m.
• Students make music and instruments
  Thousands of people are expected over the next couple of days at the Flint Hills Children's Festival at the Ordway Center in St Paul. Students from Webster Magnet School in St Paul created one of the many performances at the event.7:55 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Ancient Hair Reveals Greenland Eskimos' Roots
  A 3,000-year-old clump of human hair found frozen in Greenland may have solved a scientific mystery: Where did ancient Eskimos come from, and where did they all go?
• Navajo Nation Pushes for Uranium Cleanup
  Despite the lure of potentially big money, the Navajo Nation has banned uranium mining on its reservation, which spans parts of Arizona, New Mexico and Utah. In part, the decision reflects deep Navajo concerns about how past mining activities have damaged health and the environment.
• Honoring Victims of Darfur's Ever-Changing Conflict
  More than 200,000 people have been killed in the four-year-old conflict in Sudan's Darfur region. Recently, a joint force of United Nations and African Union peacekeepers honored their dead. The ceremony comes at a time when the nature of violence has grown more complicated in Darfur.
• Unable to Pay Mortgage, Man Raffles Off Pricey Flat
  An unemployed real estate agent in Madrid, Spain, couldn't afford his mortgage payments and couldn't sell his half-a-million-dollar apartment, so he's raffling it off. The proceeds from the 64,000 tickets at about $10 dollars each will pay off his mortgage. On his Web site, he writes, "For 5 euros, you can win a flat, and I'll be able to sleep again."
• Oil Prices Fall as Regulators Boost Surveillance
  Crude oil prices are down from their record highs. Oil is now trading under $130 a barrel; it was more than $135 a barrel last week. The drop is partly a result of the rising value of the U.S. dollar, and partly a reaction to an announcement that regulators plan to step up surveillance of energy markets.
• Myanmar's Media Criticize Cyclone Aid Agencies
  Myanmar's military government lashed out at international aid agencies that are trying to help the victims of Cyclone Nargis. A state-run news agency has also criticized the amount of money that has been pledged for cyclone relief. NPR's Michael Sullivan is in Bangkok.
• Comedic Actor Harvey Korman Dies at 81
  Harvey Korman, a comedian who used impeccable diction and timing to hilarious effect, died Thursday in Los Angeles at the age of 81. He was a regular on The Carol Burnett Show and played the unfortunately named villain Hedley Lamarr in Blazing Saddles.
• Sadr Supporters Protest Iraq-U.S. Military Alliance
  Supporters of Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr staged a big march in Baghdad on Friday to voice their opposition to any long-term military agreement between Iraq and the United States.
• Iraqi Leader Asks Nations to Forgive Old Debts
  Sweden hosted an international conference on rebuilding Iraq on Thursday. Iraq's Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki called on foreign countries to forgive Iraq's debts. Joost Hiltermann of the International Crisis Group talks about the meeting.
• Will Gore Dinner Unite Clinton, Obama Campaigns?
  The Democratic National Committee will benefit Saturday from a fundraising dinner honoring Al Gore. The event has taken on the aura of a "unity dinner" because the host committee includes prominent New York-area fundraisers for both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.
• Court Says Polygamist Kids' Removal Unwarranted
  Child welfare officials in Texas say they'll take immediate steps to comply with a state Supreme Court ruling that children removed from a polygamist compound be reunited with their parents. The court said welfare officials overstepped their authority.
• Analysis: Resolving Impasse on Fla., Mich. Delegates
  The Rules and Bylaws committee of the Democratic National Committee meets in Washington to try to resolve whether to seat delegates from Michigan and Florida at the convention. The states were stripped of their delegates after violating party rules by holding early primaries.
• Scientists Make Microscopic Bowl of Noodles
  Japanese scientists have made it more difficult to watch what you eat. They created a ramen bowl so small, it can only be seen with a microscope. The engineers carved the bowl out of microscopic nanotubes, and put a microscopic serving of noodles inside.
• Narcissism Part of Carrie's 'City' Charm
  Is Carrie Bradshaw, the main character in Sex and the City, a narcissist? Many — including Sarah Jessica Parker, who plays her — would say "yes" without flinching. As part of our "In Character" series, NPR's Elizabeth Blair reports, self-absorption is part of Carrie Bradshaw's charm.
• Planned Palestinian City in West Bank Faces Hurdles
  Backed by hundreds of millions of dollars from the government of Qatar, a Palestinian developer is moving aggressively to build the first new Palestinian city in the West Bank in a generation. But the state-of-the-art planned city faces big hurdles, including Israeli military objections and critics who say the West Bank is not ready for such projects.

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