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After 12 years in power, how can a political party that presides over a strong economy lose a national election? CBC political satirist Rick Mercer discusses the follies of the campaign that led to Monday's vote in Canada. Mercer says scandal and a botched election campaign have provided lots of material for his trade.

Colin Meloy, frontman for The Decemberists, and art-pop singer-songwriter Laura Veirs perform a night of solo, acoustic work, recorded live in concert.

As the Senate begins final debate on Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito, some states are imposing or considering broad restrictions on abortion. The ultimate goal is to force the high court to revisit its 1973 ruling in Roe v. Wade.

A court has dropped charges against Turkish novelist Orhan Pamuk, who was accused of insulting the Turkish republic for writing about the genocide of Armenians in 1915 -- a taboo subject, and one that officially never happened, according to the Turkish government. Madeleine Brand speaks with Hugh Pope, a reporter in Istanbul, about the Pamuk trial and the author's place in Turkish popular culture.

Palestinians voted Wednesday in their first parliamentary elections in a decade. The election pits the ruling Fatah Party of President Mahmoud Abbas against the militant Islamic movement Hamas, which is participating in elections for the first time.

President Bush meets with Chinese president Hu Jintao to discuss trade and currency issues. He also attends services at one of China's few state-sanctioned Christian churches, and presses the premier to expand religious, political and social freedoms.

New York City announced reforms this week following the death of a 7-year-old girl allegedly killed by her stepfather. Some experts are voicing concerns about the city's emphasis on keeping families together. Cindy Rodriguez of member station WNYC reports.

President Bush insists his program allowing eavesdropping on international phone calls to the United States is legal. In Nebraska, some people express reservations about the surveillance, but others say it's necessary for the war on terrorism.

Voter turnout is heavy as Palestinians go to the polls in Gaza and the West Bank to elect a new parliament, the first in a decade. Unofficial exit polls show the ruling Fatah movement winning more than 40 percent of the vote, with the Islamist group Hamas garnering more than 30 percent.

The Islamic Hamas movement appears to have won Wednesday's Palestinian parliamentary elections. An official announcement will be made later Thursday. The apparent victory for Hamas, a sworn enemy of Israel, will have major implications for the Middle East peace process.