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Stories from January 17, 2025

Israel’s Cabinet approves a deal for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of dozens of hostages

Israel’s Cabinet approves a deal for a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of dozens of hostages

Israel’s Cabinet approved a deal early Saturday for a ceasefire in Gaza that would release dozens of hostages held there and pause the 15-month war with Hamas, bringing the sides a step closer to ending their deadliest and most destructive fighting ever.
by The Associated Press

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How could a second Trump presidency affect Minnesotans? 6 experts answer your questions

How could a second Trump presidency affect Minnesotans? 6 experts answer your questions

On Monday, Jan. 20, Donald Trump will be inaugurated for his second term as President of the United States. As the incoming administration prepares to carry out its agenda, we asked experts to answer your questions about what the next four years could look like here in Minnesota.
by Tom Crann, Ngoc Bui, Lukas Levin and Matthew Alvarez

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MNsure logs record enrollment for second year in a row

MNsure logs record enrollment for second year in a row

MNsure says a record number of Minnesotans signed up for 2025 health insurance for the new year through the state Affordable Care Act insurance marketplace.
by Mark Zdechlik

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’I’m tired’ says outgoing Interim Director of the Office of Cannabis Management

’I’m tired’ says outgoing Interim Director of the Office of Cannabis Management

Friday was the last day for the Director of Minnesota’s Office of Cannabis Management, Charlene Briner. She was appointed in 2023 as Interim Director, which was supposed to be just a few months long gig, but it stretched into a 20-month-long job.
by Cathy Wurzer, Lukas Levin and Gracie Stockton

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Minneapolis police union seeks voice in federal reform plan

Minneapolis police union seeks voice in federal reform plan

The Minneapolis Police Federation is seeking a voice in the latest plan for court-ordered reforms of the police department. The union on Friday filed a motion to intervene in the proposed federal consent decree.
by Matt Sepic

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Sprinklers installed at first Seward Towers high-rise building in Minneapolis

Sprinklers installed at first Seward Towers high-rise building in Minneapolis

After five residents died in a fire in a Minneapolis high-rise building in 2019, the Minnesota Legislature allocated $10 million in 2024 to help retrofit high-rise residences with sprinkler systems. Nearby Seward Towers received $4 million of that funding.
by Mark Zdechlik

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MPD union wants voice in consent decree; Dangerously cold weather

The Minneapolis police union said it wants a voice in the latest MPD reform plan. Our brief January thaw is coming to a crashing halt today, as strong northwest winds bring a blast of arctic air to Minnesota.
by Emily Reese

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50 years of hair-raising fun and science at the Bakken Museum

50 years of hair-raising fun and science at the Bakken Museum

The Bakken Museum in Minneapolis is celebrating 50 years of bringing electricity and science education to life. The museum has become a hub for scientific research, exhibition and record.
by Anika Besst

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Politics Friday: The 2025 Legislature is off to a bumpy start

Politics Friday: The 2025 Legislature is off to a bumpy start

DFLers made good on their threat to keep the Minnesota House in limbo earlier this week as both parties fought over control. Republicans pressed forward anyway. MPR News politics editor Brian Bakst and his guests talk about the unconventional start to the 2025 legislative session. Plus, an interview with Gov. Tim Walz.
by Brian Bakst and Matthew Alvarez

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Siberian express: Coldest air in about 2 years blowing into Minnesota

Siberian express: Coldest air in about 2 years blowing into Minnesota

A dangerously cold air mass from the Arctic Circle blows into Minnesota this weekend. Low temperatures will bottom out between minus 10 and minus 15 in the Twin Cities on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday mornings.
by Paul Huttner

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A Minnesota curator remembers filmmaker David Lynch

A Minnesota curator remembers filmmaker David Lynch

Filmmaker David Lynch died Thursday. Minnesota curator Robert Cozzolino organized the largest American museum exhibition of David Lynch’s visual art in 2014 and remained in contact with Lynch afterward.
by Alex V. Cipolle

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Why laughing while crying is so Korean

Comedian Youngmi Mayer talks with NPR about how her Korean family uses humor as a tool for survival. She gets into the Korean comedic tradition and why the saddest stuff is what makes them laugh the hardest.
by Schuyler Swenson, B.A. Parker, Xavier Lopez, Jess Kung, Dalia Mortada, Leah Donnella, Christina Cala, Veralyn Williams, Courtney Stein and Gene Demby

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LA’s Olympic venues were spared by wildfires, but the city’s rebuild could impact the Games’ runup

LA’s Olympic venues were spared by wildfires, but the city’s rebuild could impact the Games’ runup

The deadly wildfires that have ravaged sections of Los Angeles left an indelible imprint on the region’s landscape and psyche. The runup to the city hosting the 2028 Olympics and Paralympics will coincide with massive rebuilding of housing and infrastructure at a time when the region’s resources figure to be stretched to the max.
by The Associated Press

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On the brink of the inauguration, historians reflect on America's trajectory

On the brink of the inauguration, historians reflect on America's trajectory

As Inauguration Day approaches, we ask historians who’ve written books about America’s past reflect on America’s future. Does this moment have a parallel, or are we truly in unprecedented times?
by Kerri Miller and Kelly Gordon

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Morning Announcements for Jan. 17

Morning Announcements for Jan. 17

Here are the morning announcements for Friday, Jan. 17, 2025.
by MPR News Staff

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Supreme Court upholds law banning TikTok if it’s not sold by its Chinese parent company

Supreme Court upholds law banning TikTok if it’s not sold by its Chinese parent company

The Supreme Court has unanimously upheld the federal law banning TikTok beginning Sunday unless it’s sold by its China-based parent company. The court held Friday the risk to national security posed by TikTok's ties to China overcomes concerns about limiting speech by the app or its 170 million users in the U.S. 
by The Associated Press

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Minneapolis police chief reiterates policy prohibiting officers from enforcing immigration law

Minneapolis police chief reiterates policy prohibiting officers from enforcing immigration law

With days to go before president-elect Donald Trump returns to office with mass deportation plans, the Minneapolis Police Department issued a statement this week reiterating its policy which forbids officers from asking people about their immigration status in most cases.
by Cari Spencer

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A polar vortex is set to grip much of the U.S. What does that mean?

A polar vortex is set to grip much of the U.S. What does that mean?

Bundle up and prepare: People living “basically anywhere from the Rockies eastward” will see extremely cold temperatures over the next several days, a meteorologist says.
by Jaclyn Diaz

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Unrivaled women’s basketball league is setting a new standard for salaries before it even tips off

Unrivaled women’s basketball league is setting a new standard for salaries before it even tips off

Unrivaled is setting a new standard for women’s basketball before one game has been played in the upstart league. The 3-on-3 league co-founded by Olympic gold medalists Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart debuts Friday featuring 36 players from the WNBA, ranging from veterans like Brittney Griner to rookie Angel Reese.

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St. Paul police say missing Apple Valley man died

St. Paul police say missing Apple Valley man died

The St. Paul Police Department said a pizza delivery driver reported missing a week ago died by suicide Tuesday afternoon.
by MPR News Staff

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What’s next for Kamala Harris

What’s next for Kamala Harris

Inauguration Day marks the first time in more than 20 years that Kamala Harris will not be in public office. “It is not my nature to go quietly into the night,” she told allies on Thursday.
by Deepa Shivaram

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Walz offers up tighter budget blueprint amid abnormal start to session

Walz offers up tighter budget blueprint amid abnormal start to session

The 2025 Minnesota Legislature got a dose of normalcy when Gov. Tim Walz unveiled his blueprint for the next two-year budget. The governor also weighed in for the first time publicly on some of the chaos in the Minnesota House.
by Clay Masters

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Minneapolis Police Department clarifies policy on questioning immigration status. St. Paul clears encampment

With just days to go before president-elect Donald Trump returns to office with mass deportation plans, the Minneapolis Police Department has clarified its policy on questioning immigration status. And St. Paul on Thursday closed a homeless encampment where more than 40 people were living in tents near the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary.
by Phil Picardi

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PWHL’s neutral site Takeover Tour drawing attention and ’We want a team’ chants as expansion looms

PWHL’s neutral site Takeover Tour drawing attention and ’We want a team’ chants as expansion looms

Three neutral site stops down and six to go, the PWHL is quickly discovering how popular it has become at a time the second-year six-team league is considering expanding by as many as two more franchises by next season.
by The Associated Press

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Another mild day ahead before arctic air slams in Friday afternoon

Another mild day ahead before arctic air slams in Friday afternoon

Our January thaw continues with one more mild day of above-freezing temperatures. Winds will pick up as a strong arctic front moves through, with gusts reaching 30-40 mph. This next surge of arctic air will bring dangerously cold wind chills, ranging from 30 to 40 below zero.
by Mandy Thalhuber

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Biden sets record by commuting sentences of nearly 2,500 people convicted on nonviolent drug charges

Biden sets record by commuting sentences of nearly 2,500 people convicted on nonviolent drug charges

President Joe Biden is commuting the sentences of almost 2,500 people convicted of nonviolent drug offenses. Friday’s clemency actions give Biden the presidential record for most individual pardons and commutations issued.
by The Associated Press

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After juror bribe attempt, judge tightens security at second Feeding Our Future trial

After juror bribe attempt, judge tightens security at second Feeding Our Future trial

During a pretrial hearing on Thursday, Judge Nancy Brasel said that the four defendants may view paper copies of juror questionnaires and take notes on them, but must hand over any notes to their attorneys before leaving the courthouse.
by Matt Sepic

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‘A death penalty’: Ph.D. student says U of M expelled him over unfair AI allegation 

‘A death penalty’: Ph.D. student says U of M expelled him over unfair AI allegation 

Haishan Yang, a doctoral student in health economics, filed a lawsuit in federal court last week accusing the University of Minnesota of violating his due process. He is the first Minnesota student to go public about being expelled over AI.
by Feven Gerezgiher

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