The world encroaches on Campaign 2012

AFGHANISTAN-US-NATO-UNREST
A U.S. Army soldier operating under NATO sponsored International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) walks past an open graveyard at Nevay-deh village, a short distance from the Lindsey foward operating base on Sept. 13, 2012 in Kandahar province, Afghanistan.
AFP/AFP/Getty Images

Foreign policy forces its way back into the presidential race. We take a longer look at the winners in the competition for a slice of the state's economic development funding pie. Minneapolitans give a little love to thirsty trees. The Twins play safe -- maybe too safe -- with their "It gets better" video. And how is it possible that just a few years removed from an NHL season lost to a lockout that a contract dispute can be skating down that same path?

Foreign policy to the fore
With protests at U.S. embassies and four Americans dead, Mitt Romney is suddenly facing a campaign focused on a foreign policy crisis he gambled wouldn't happen.

US braces for more anti-American protests
The Obama administration was caught by surprise by the ferocity of the Sept. 11 attack against the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya, that killed the ambassador and three other Americans. Now it is bracing for another potential eruption of violent demonstrations in parts of the Muslim world after Friday's weekly prayers -- traditionally a time of protest in the Middle East and North Africa.

News Cut: Twins miss the 'It gets better' context
After more than a year, the Minnesota Twins have finally jumped into the effort to stop bullying. The team did so without referencing gays and lesbians, the underpinning of the It Gets Better videos spawned by the suicides of several young gay people.

St. Paul's Mai Village faces foreclosure
Is it light rail's fault? Mai Village, a once-venerable Vietnamese restaurant on St. Paul's University Avenue, is facing foreclosure. Mai Nguyen says the Ramsey County sheriff's sale has been scheduled for Oct. 24.

Jazz bassist Chris Bates moves to the front
Anyone who sees and hears Chris Bates perform in the Atlantis Quartet, Red Planet, Framework or Leisure Valley won't miss how he powers those innovative ensembles. Playing with energy and imagination, Bates builds a strong floor upon which other musicians can place melodies and improvisational flourishes.

Tuition freeze at the U?
University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler has a deal for the Legislature: Give the school $91.6 million more in funding in the next biennium, and in return the university will freeze tuition for undergrads in each of the next two years.

Fight the drought: Hug a tree. Or at least water one
Cities around the state routinely cut down and replace old and diseased trees, and spend a lot of time making sure the new trees have plenty of water in order to thrive. But this year's drought has made it hard to keep up. The challenge is especially acute in north Minneapolis.

UnitedHealth bumps Kraft off the Dow 30
UnitedHealth Group, based in Minnesota, will replace Kraft Foods in the Dow Jones industrial average, the most widely known barometer of the American stock market. S&P Dow Jones Indices, which manages the Dow, said the change will take effect at the start of trading Sept. 24.

Religious leaders oppose voter ID
About 50 Twin Cities religious leaders packed a State Capitol news conference to announce the "Faith In Democracy Campaign" on Thursday. Organizers claim the proposed requirement for voters to show official government photo identification when voting is a threat to democracy and would prevent thousands of eligible Minnesotans from voting.

This little piggy went to market -- and sold for less
Agriculture experts are still measuring the affects of the drought on the farmers, but it's likely that livestock producers will be the hardest hit. The dry stretch has pushed the cost of corn and other major feed supplies into record territory, hurting practically any farmer raising animals. Hog farmers also are getting hit by falling pork prices.

More details on the economic development grants
The Saint Paul Saints will get a new ballpark. Duluth can build a downtown office tower. And a proposed light rail line through the southwest Twin Cities suburbs will get the $2 million it needs to keep its bid for federal funding on track. Gov. Mark Dayton announced more than $47 million in state grants he says will create 2,000 jobs around the state.

An NHL lockout? Again?
The start date for the Minnesota Wild season may be delayed or even canceled. The National Hockey League and the NHL Player's Association are at an impasse which could lead to a lockout as early as tomorrow. Cathy Wurzer speaks with Mike Russo who writes about hockey for the Star Tribune.