Minnesota Public Radio Stories

• A party for Sarah Palin at the Mall of America
  Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin spent more than three hours signing hundreds of copies of her book on Monday during a visit to the Mall of America.5:20 p.m.
• Debate begins over proposed budget cap amendment
  A Minnesota Senate committee today began examining a proposed constitutional amendment to cap state government spending.5:24 p.m.
• Saving foreclosed homes in north Minneapolis
  A Minneapolis program designed to fix up and resell foreclosed properties has been so successful, officials hope to expand it.5:50 p.m.
• Quaker group stops certifying marriages until gay marriage legal
  A group of Twin Cities Quakers has decided to stop signing marriage certificates for opposite-sex couples until the state legalizes gay marriage.5:54 p.m.

National Public Radio Stories

• Bidding War For Air Force Tanker Contract Heats Up
  The Air Force has been trying to replace its aging fleet of tankers that refuel warplanes in midair for the past decade. But the bidding process has been mired in controversy and politics. Now defense contractor Northrop Grumman is threatening to pull out of the competition for the $35 billion contract.
• Iraqi Political Deal Clears Way For U.S. Pullout
  The passage of Iraq's new election law in a down-to-the-wire session of parliament means that U.S. combat troops are a step closer to beginning their phased withdrawal from the country next year after Iraqi elections.
• 'Doonesbury' Writer Lampoons Tweeting Journalists
  Fictional Fox News correspondent Roland Hedley, created by cartoonist Garry Trudeau, has attracted more than 14,000 followers on Twitter. Now, his buffoonish tweets about the news business have been collected in a new book.
• What's Next From Apple? Bloggers Hunt For Clues
  There's a whole set of bloggers who write about Apple products — especially what could be coming. One talks regularly to industry sources and combs through the company's patent filings, lawsuits and job postings. Marketing experts say the attention is great for the company.
• 15-Year-Old Cheddar Best Enjoyed With Wine, Beer
  Tony Hook of Hook's Cheese Co. in Mineral Point, Wis., has some really sharp cheddar for sale: The 15-year-old cheese is being sold at $50 a pound — just don't put it on your cheeseburger. Hook says the cheese is flavorful and doesn't have the bitterness that one might expect from old cheddar.
• Protesters Take To Streets In Iran
  Thousands of students and other protesters took to the streets of Iranian cities Monday, a repeat of nationwide demonstration's following last June's presidential election. The Iranian government reacted with force, sending thousands of riot police and street militia to crack down on the demonstrators. Reports from Iran say there were violent clashes between police and protesters, and the militia appears to have fired live rounds into the crowds.
• Iran Protesters Continue To Take To The Streets
  Iran's pro-reform movement has been dealt a serious blow since the June 12 presidential elections. Thousands of people have been arrested and detained in a government crackdown to suppress the opposition. Bahman Kalbasi of the BBC's Persian Service offers his analysis of the state of the opposition movement in Iran.
• Pakistan Amnesty Law Under Legal Scrutiny
  Pakistan's Supreme Court began hearing challenges Monday to an amnesty that has protected the country's president and his allies from corruption charges. If the court declares the controversial amnesty to be unconstitutional, hundreds of cases ranging from graft to murder cold reopen.
• Targeting Afghanistan's Opium Market
  When President Obama unveiled his Afghanistan war strategy last week, he did not dwell on the challenge of getting the country's vast opiate production under control. The U.S. has spent billions on counternarcotics programs in Afghanistan with little success. Scholar Gretchen Peters says interdiction, not eradication, is the new strategy.
• Real ID Act Might Cause Real Hassles For Travelers
  With a Dec. 31 deadline looming, many states have yet to comply with the Real ID Act, which sets tighter — some say impossible — standards for issuing drivers' licenses. If a resolution is not reached, travelers may face long lines at airports if they can't use their licenses as identification.

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