Locals turn against Taliban in eastern Afghanistan
A group of villagers in eastern Afghanistan took up arms against the Taliban and say they’ve now managed to regain control.In Ghazni’s Andar district, one of the areas hit hardest by a series of recent...
View ArticlePew survey: Partisan polarization in US hits 25-year high
Americans have become more politically polarized than at any time in the past 25 years, according to a major survey released Monday by the Pew Research Center.Pew measured partisan differences on 48...
View ArticleWisconsin recall: a big deal for GOP conservatives, not just Scott Walker
For Gov. Scott Walker, Wisconsin’s Tuesday's recall election is about whether his bid to slash state spending, particularly at the expense of public-sector labor unions, will cost him his job.For...
View ArticleOverdiagnosis — and how we need to stop harming the healthy
The problem of medical overdiagnosis is getting increasing attention — and not a moment too soon, as noted in a commentary paper published last week in the journal BMJ.“A burgeoning scientific...
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Racino debate is a scratch, following landmark Canterbury Park-Sioux agreement
It appears that the legions of lobbyists on both sides of the racino debate can take a brief rest for the first time in nearly a decade.Canterbury Park and the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux, who run the...
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Is it a good idea to evaluate school boards using test data?
Education Secretary Arne DuncanU.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan: Crazy, or crazy like a fox?Buried in the fine print of the proposed guidelines for the next round of federal Race to The Top...
View ArticleRamsey County retains coveted AAA bond rating
Ramsey County reports it received AAA ratings from both major credit rating agencies for its bond sale Monday.Proceeds from the $18.5 million bond sale will pay for improvements at Keller Golf course,...
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Hard to argue with Twins' draft choice: Byron Buxton, the best player available
Byron BuxtonFor months now, the assumption was that the Astros would use the No. 1 pick on either Stanford right-hander Mark Appel or Georgia high-school center fielder Byron Buxton and the Twins would...
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Thought-provoking study of 'values' differences across party lines
On questions of "values," Americans (and one supposes all other people on the planet), have always somewhat divided across lines of race, gender, class, education level and religiosity. No big surprise...
View ArticleMinneapolis council committee clears extra ‘event days’ for bars
I missed the contentious Vikings stadium vote, but I got back in town from vacation just in time for another big vote at Minneapolis City Hall — an ordinance allowing holders of on-sale liquor, beer...
View ArticleWithout GOP endorsement, Rep. Doepke will run in state Senate primary
State Rep. Connie Doepke, a two-term Republican from Orono, hopes to move up to the state Senate but was denied the GOP endorsement last month in Senate District 33.Doepke plans to run in the August...
View ArticleGrand opening for long-delayed St. Paul Lofts at Farmers Market
St. Paul officials may issue a sigh of relief along with their congratulatory speeches Wednesday at the grand opening of the Lofts at Farmers Market.The 58 units are all leased — at rates ranging from...
View ArticleFormer Sheriff Fletcher files for Ramsey County board seat against stadium...
Bob Fletcher, the longtime Ramsey County sheriff who lost his re-election bid two years ago after 16 years in office, is challenging Ramsey County commissionerTony Bennett.Fletcher, who is setting up a...
View ArticleUnion, Crystal Sugar returning to bargaining table
Union workers and American Crystal Sugar Co. are set to resume talks Friday after the union asked a federal mediator to help end the contract dispute. It has been more than 10 months since the lockout...
View Article'Dirty tricks' robo-calling reported in final hours of Wisconsin recall
Politico’s Mackenzie Weinger writes: “Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett said his campaign is contacting Wisconsin residents to counter reports of a robo-call that says anyone who signed a petition to recall...
View ArticleThe Age of Nothing's-Ever-Over
While awaiting results from Wisconsin, think about some comparisons raised by the gang at MSNBC's "First Read" this morning.Gubernatorial recalls are rare in U.S. political history, and starting a...
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Interactive: Who's running for the Minnesota Legislature
Politicians, start your engines: The filing deadline for Minnesota Legislature candidates was 5 p.m on Tuesday, June 5. To track who is running where, MinnPost has compiled a map of every candidate...
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Artists in Storefronts -- and other sights along Whittier's stretch of Nicollet
MinnPost illustration by Andy SturdevantNicollet is the easiest street in Minneapolis to walk down and tell stories about, because it’s constantly in flux.For the past month, around two dozen...
View ArticleTurkey takes lead in rebuilding Somalia
When delegates from 57 nations gathered in Istanbul last week to discuss bringing peace and stability to Somalia, one country’s efforts got special attention: Turkey.Since last year Turkish relief...
View ArticleRussian activists sound alarm at soaring fines for civil 'disorder'
As the Russian Duma rushes through a bill that will drastically raise fines for taking part in an unsanctioned political meeting, more than two dozen people were arrested outside the parliament today...
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