MPR News

Unlike the Minnesota House, the Senate has kicked off a relatively low-key and so far productive session. But just below the surface of all this collegiality is tension over policies and oversight from the days of the DFL trifecta. Read more

The Minnesota Supreme Court hears oral arguments at 1 p.m. Thursday over the temporary control of the Minnesota House. Here s how a political fight ended up in front of the high court and what s at stake. Read more

The Hennepin County Attorney s Office announced Wednesday that it will not file charges against three Minneapolis police officers who fatally shot a man last June. Read more

Art Hounds recommend The River Connects Us, Loudly, Clearly, Beautifully and Minnesota State High School League one-act plays. Read more

The Episcopal bishop of Washington spoke with NPR to discuss her sermon addressing President Trump and why she asked him to have mercy. Read more

Officials with refugee resettlement agencies in Minnesota say Trump s executive order halting the Refugee Admissions Program is disrupting efforts to bring people facing strife in their home countries to the U.S. and to the state. Read more

An embattled movie industry has lined up behind the Netflix narco-musical about transgender identity Emilia P rez in Oscar nominations Thursday. Another musical Wicked, the smash Broadway adaptation came away with nearly as many nominations. Read more

Freshman Syla Swords scored 23 points, eight in the fourth quarter, and No. 24 Michigan edged No. 23 Minnesota 70-65. Olivia Olson, a freshman from New Hope, Minnesota, added 19 points for the Wolverines, including a jumper to open the fourth quarter that gave them a 55-53 lead. Read more

Jaden McDaniels scored a career-high 27 points, including the clinching free throw with 3 seconds to play, and Anthony Edwards added 21 as the Minnesota Timberwolves outlasted the short-handed Dallas Mavericks 115-114. Read more

Over a two-decade history, The Current has impacted culture in Minnesota and beyond with a dialed-in mix of familiar and new. Read more

The outgoing Biden administration has released Leonard Peltier from prison. Numerous activists and tribal officials have requested the release of Peltier, whom they believe to be innocent of killing two FBI agents in 1975. Read more

Ricky Cobb s mother Nyra Miller-Fields sued the troopers, alleging excessive force and that the extended traffic stop was unconstitutional. A federal judge dismissed the lawsuit. Miller-Fields is appealing the decision. Read more

In August, the Board of Peace Officer Standards and Training sent independent journalist Tony Webster police licensing information in response to his data request, but failed to remove the names of officers who work undercover. Read more

Eleven Minnesota chefs and restaurants were named James Beard Award semifinalists for 2025. The list includes five Minnesota chefs being awarded Best Chef in the Midwest category and one Minneapolis chef, Ann Ahmed, being named Outstanding Chef. Read more

"Stick Nation" is a worldwide movement that thrives on irreverent, fantastical and downright wholesome descriptions of sticks. Read more

President Trump has issued sweeping executive actions swiftly ending diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility programs within the federal government. Already, the work is underway. Read more

President Donald Trump began his second administration with a blitz of policy actions to reorient U.S. government priorities. Some have an immediate policy impact. Others are more symbolic. Read more

RFK Jr. plans to keep collecting referral fees in lawsuits against the drug company Merck even if confirmed as HHS secretary, according to new filings with the Office of Government Ethics. Read more

The Laken Riley Act would make it easier for federal immigration officials to detain and deport those without legal status who are charged with specific crimes. Read more

The company says it added 19 million new subscribers during the last quarter of 2024, fueled by live events and new shows. Netflix is also raising subscriptions by $1 to $2 per month in the U.S. Read more

Minnesota House Republicans are seeking to roll back taxes and fees approved when Democrats had full control of state government. A delivery fee and automatic increases to the gas taxes are on the GOP chopping block. Read more

In a memo obtained by NPR, acting Health Secretary Dorothy Fink forbade staff from public communications on most matters until Feb. 1, unless they get express approval from "a presidential appointee." Read more

A recess and traffic monitor in the North St. Paul-Maplewood-Oakdale School District was arrested last week. Authorities say they have not found any indication that students at the schools he worked at were involved. Read more

It is unclear how much impact economic penalties would have on the Russian government, since they already face various sanctions imposed by the previous administration. Read more

You can help reassure and inform children about the Los Angeles wildfires and broader climate concerns, with age-appropriate tips, expert insights and practical ways to ease eco-anxiety. Read more

The World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, is underway this week and there are calls for taxing the extremely rich to address global inequality. Read more

The sub resigned from his law enforcement job in Prescott, Wis., and is no longer employed with the substitute staffing service he was contracted through. Read more

Some Facebook and Instagram users were surprised to find themselves automatically following the accounts of President Donald Trump or Vice President JD Vance this week after the president was inaugurated. Read more

President Donald Trump is demanding an apology from the former Minnesotan and Episcopal bishop of Washington after she asked him to have mercy on the LGBTQ+ community and migrants in the United States illegally during a prayer service marking his inauguration. Read more

The Justice Department is directing its federal prosecutors to investigate any state or local officials who stand in the way of beefed-up enforcement of immigration laws under the Trump administration. Read more