Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• 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.
• Farmers embrace genetically modified beets
  Farmers in the Red River Valley are starting to harvest the first crop of genetically modified sugar beets. While most farmers are happy with the Roundup Ready beets, there are some lingering concerns.7:20 a.m.
• Recalling the last statewide election recount
  Minnesota election officials are preparing for a statewide recount after a close finish in a primary race for state Supreme Court justice. The last time Minnesota had a statewide recount was in the 1962 governor's race.7:50 a.m.
• Future Tense with Jon Gordon
  What do Internet users want to know about Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin? Her name as a search term is still high.8:20 a.m.
• USDA cuts estimates for corn, soybean harvests
  The Agriculture Department on Friday reduced its forecast for this year's corn and soybean harvests due to drier weather. The forecast for Minnesota's corn crop was down slightly, but the state's soybean forecast was unchanged.8:25 a.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Some Galveston Residents Linger As Storm Nears
  Hurricane Ike is expected to make landfall — as a Category 3 hurricane — late Friday or early Saturday south of Galveston, Texas. Officials issued a mandatory evacuation order and warned of "certain death" for those who don't leave, but NPR's Ari Shapiro says plenty of people remain.
• Palin Tested On National Security By ABC's Gibson
  Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin said she's ready to lead the country if needed, and she "didn't blink" when asked to join the McCain campaign. Palin spoke Thursday night with ABC's Charles Gibson in her first interview since John McCain named her to the ticket. The interview continues Friday night.
• 'Burn After Reading' — And Repeat As Necessary
  The Coen brothers' latest may be a comedy, but it's a Coen brothers comedy — meaning it's as bleak and hopeless as comedies are allowed to get before the laughter dies bitterly on your lips.
• Voter Registrations Could Face Legal Challenges
  Political groups are wrangling over voter registrations and access to the polls. In Ohio, Democrats and Republicans are fighting over interpretation of a state law, which Democrats say allows voters to register and immediately cast an absentee ballot. Republicans say that opens the door to fraud.
• Ads Warn That All Immigration Must Be Reduced
  In recent years, some groups opposing illegal immigration say the public debate has strayed from their real cause — reducing all immigration, including legal. Now, they've started an ad campaign touting the risks of overpopulation. The ads warn that the U.S. faces environmental damage, increased congestion and threats to economic justice unless immigration is dramatically reduced.
• Russians Cling To Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula
  Ethnic Russians outnumber Ukrainians in the city of Crimea, even though the city is part of Ukraine. Most of those Russians have yet to reconcile themselves to the idea of an independent Ukraine. This is reinforced by the continued presence of the Russian Black Sea Fleet in the Crimean port. The Russian navy has leased the port until 2017, but the Western-influenced Ukrainian government wants to join NATO and says it will not renew the lease with Moscow.
• Zimbabwe's Leaders Strike Power-Sharing Deal
  Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe and opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai agreed Thursday to a power-sharing deal. They did not spell out how the deal would work.
• Obama, McCain Speak At Community Service Forum
  Barack Obama and John McCain appeared before the same audience Thursday at a Columbia University summit focused on national service. McCain said he respects Obama's experience as a community organizer. Obama praised the work of small-town mayors.
• Lehman Brothers Seeks Government's Help
  The government is stepping in to help Lehman Brothers. The investment bank's plans to shore up its finances didn't convince investors the firm could stand on its own. Lehman is looking to put itself up for sale, and it's working with the government to find a buyer.
• Ike Threatens Texas Oil Refineries
  Hurricane Ike is storming toward the Gulf Coast of Texas — home to a quarter of the nation's oil refining capacity. As refineries shut down in anticipation of the storm, wholesale gasoline prices have shot up, despite crude oil prices falling to their lowest level in more than five months.

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