Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• 'Grizzly Coast' takes Minnesota Zoo visitors to Russia
  Leopards and otters and bears, oh my! A new exhibit, Russia's Grizzly Coast, debuts Saturday at the Minnesota Zoo.6:50 a.m.
• Weather with Mark Seeley
  University of Minnesota Climatologist Mark Seeley discusses Minnesota weather history and looks ahead to the weekend forecast.6:55 a.m.
• Will it be Franken or Nelson-Pallmeyer?
  Democrats meet in Rochester for their convention this weekend with the main order of business to choose a U.S. Senate candidate.7:20 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Remembering a Tricky Name Change
  Ramon Sanchez remembers growing up as a Mexican-American student in California in the 1950s, when teachers changed his name to Raymond. He wasn't alone. Girls named Maria became Mary. Juanita became Jane. Then Facundo enrolled and teachers didn't know what to do.
• 8.5 Million Out of Work in May as Jobless Rate Soars
  The unemployment rate jumped by half a percentage point in May, with 8.5 million people out of work last month. It's the largest monthly increase since February of 1986. The Labor Department numbers are further evidence that the country may be in a recession.
• Automakers Advance Fuel-Cell Cars
  Toyota said Friday that it has a new fuel cell vehicle that can go for more than 500 miles on a single tank of hydrogen. Hydrogen-powered vehicles emit no pollution — only water — and are seen as the next big thing in green car technology.
• Watermelon Gets Premium Price in Japan
  In Japan, a country with a unique market in luxury fruit, a black-skinned watermelon sold for $6,100. An official at a Japanese agricultural co-op says it's the highest price ever paid for a watermelon — though a pair of cantaloupes sold last month for $23,500.
• Obama Meets with Clinton After Va. Campaign Stop
  Presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton had a private meeting Thursday night in Washington, D.C. The former rivals discussed ways to unify their campaigns. Obama also spent Thursday campaigning in Virginia. The last time Democrats won Virginia in a presidential election was 1964.
• 'Creative Grooming' Transforms Poodle
  Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Could be, depending on how Cindy the poodle is groomed on any given day. Sometimes the dog looks like a dragon, with green, spiked fur. Other days, she could have fur humps to look like a camel. It's called "creative grooming." Though most days, owner Sandy Hartness says, Cindy is a plain old pink poodle.
• L.A. Mayor Proposes Wager on NBA Finals
  Before the Celtics beat the Lakers last night in Game 1, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa proposed a wager to Boston Mayor Thomas Menino: The winner of the NBA championships gets the other city's football team — betting the L.A. Avengers (from the Arena League) against the Patriots.
• Rowling's Harvard Speech Doesn't Entrance All
  J.K. Rowling gave the commencement address at Harvard on Thursday. While some graduates were giddy to hear from the Harry Potter author, others grumbled. They noted that Harvard is known for inviting heavy hitters, like Bill Gates, to address students.
• Climate Bill, Caught Up in Bickering, Dies in Senate
  A bill to cut greenhouse gases and address global warming was defeated Friday in the Senate. Debate on the measure began Monday but has been caught up in partisan bickering.
• Despite Loss, Clinton's Success a Stride for Women
  Commentator Judy Muller didn't vote for Hillary Clinton. But she still sees Clinton's presidential campaign as a huge step forward for American women. Muller also says it brings back memories of an earlier landmark campaign, when Geraldine Ferraro was the Democratic nominee for vice president.
• A Look Back: Clinton Tireless Till the Last Chapter
  For Hillary Clinton, what started as a campaign of inevitability later turned into a candidacy buoyed by experience. Then it was eclipsed by a rising Barack Obama and finally came to a presumptive halt this week. NPR's David Greene, who covered Clinton's presidential campaign from the beginning, looks back.
• Warship Shoots Missile from Sky in Test off Hawaii
  A U.S. Navy warship shot a missile out of the sky Thursday off the coast of Hawaii. It was a test of the Aegis ballistic missile defense system, and the target was the type of missile that could carry chemical or biological weapons. The system was right on the mark.
• Pakistani Rock Star's Roots in U.S. Metal
  Musician Salman Ahmad was born in Pakistan but grew up in suburban America listening to bands like Van Halen. When his family returned to Pakistan so he could study to be a doctor, Ahmad took along his guitar. His music shocked Pakistan, and Pakistan shocked him.
• Sept. 11 Suspects Arraigned at Guantanamo Bay
  The man suspected of planning the Sept. 11 attacks, along with four co-defendants, were arraigned Thursday at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The U.S. is seeking the death penalty for all of them. The ringleader of the group says he welcomes execution because it would make him a martyr.
• Lawmakers Revisit Canadian's Terrorism Arrest
  Homeland Security officials will take a second look at the case of a Canadian seized in New York as a terrorism suspect and sent to Syria, where he was allegedly tortured. House Democrats want the Justice Department to conduct a criminal probe into the 2002 case.

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