State

• Illinois urged to get out of death-penalty limbo

National

• Burrowing muskrat causes levee to fail in Missouri

• Up to 54 years for ringleader of body parts scheme

• N.J. restaurateur moonlights as unofficial diplomat

• California fire deals big blow to Big Sur tourism

• Supreme Court, long quiet, ends term with a growl

• Berkeley tree-sitters hanging on, 18 months in

• Obama's success fuels affirmative action's foes

International

• German man torches car to protest high gas prices

• Pakistan bombards suspected Taliban hideouts

• Zimbabwe state media rebuffs runoff detractors

Election

• Today on the presidential campaign trail

ODD & Extraordinary

• Fla. man claims tea caused him to fail drug test

• Single mom selling Fla. home and heart on Internet

• Stilt-walker completes 830 miles across Michigan

• Utah woman find snakes in oxygen generator package

Entertainers, Entertainment and the Arts

• Stars gather for Nelson Mandela birthday show

Science & The Environment

• This summer may see first ice-free North Pole

Today

• This day in history

• The nation's weather