Stories from August 12, 2025

Handwritten confession in 1998 murder speeds request to vacate man’s conviction
In 1998, a judge sentenced Bryan Hooper, now 54, to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 30 years for the killing of Ann Prazniak. But in a handwritten confession and multiple interviews with authorities, Chalaka Young, 50, admitted killing Prazniak and lying on the witness stand in Hooper’s trial.
Four new members gained spots Tuesday on the University of Minnesota's Board of Regents, a full third of the board at a time of immense challenge for the land-grant college. St. Paul city officials say hackers who launched an attack on the city’s computer systems have posted some of that data online, after the city refused to pay a ransom.
Hackers post some St. Paul files online after city refuses to pay ransom
Mayor Melvin Carter said late Monday that what was posted is a tiny percentage of what’s kept on the city’s servers, and it appeared to be from a single shared drive used by parks and recreation employees.
St. Paul auction house leads effort to return sacred Native items
The Association on American Indian Affairs has tracked tens of thousands of potentially sensitive items sold at auction worldwide. Now, one Minnesota auction house is setting a new standard for repatriation.
Restaurant faces discrimination charge after accusing a woman of being a man in women's restroom
A Minnesota nonprofit is filing a charge of discrimination with the state Department of Human Rights, claiming a restaurant server harassed an 18-year-old while she used the women’s restroom; the server allegedly believed she was a boy.
Alaska was once a full-fledged Russian colony. Now it’s hosting a U.S.-Russia summit
Russia lost a war in Crimea in the 1850s. To pay off war debts, Russia sold Alaska to the U.S. Now presidents Trump and Putin will meet Friday in Alaska to discuss another war involving Crimea.
Taylor Swift announces 12th studio album, ‘The Life of a Showgirl’
Taylor Swift has announced her 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl.” The full-length release announced Tuesday follows her last original album, 2024’s “The Tortured Poets Department.”
The changing media landscape
From streaming shake-ups to shrinking newsrooms, how we get news and entertainment is shifting fast. MPR News host Angela Davis talks with a media analyst and a pop culture critic about what’s changing and why it matters. 
Thunder headlining NBA’s opening night, Christmas schedule for this season
The Oklahoma City Thunder felt slighted last season when they were left off the NBA’s Christmas schedule. The other Christmas games, released by the NBA on Tuesday: Cleveland at New York, Houston at LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg and Dallas visiting Golden State, and Minnesota playing at Denver.
What to know about past meetings between Putin and his American counterparts
Bilateral meetings between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterparts were a regular occurrence early in his tenure. But as tensions mounted between Moscow and the West following the illegal annexation of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and allegations of meddling with the 2016 U.S. elections, those became increasingly less frequent, and their tone became less friendly. 
Warren pitches 6 2/3 innings to lead the Yankees to 6-2 win over the Twins
Will Warren gave up three hits and two runs in 6 2/3 innings to become the first New York Yankees starting pitcher to get an out in the seventh inning in a month in a 6-2 win over the Minnesota Twins. 
A new report on no-knock warrants in Minnesota shows a 79 percent decrease in their use in the first full year since state legislators passed restrictions on the controversial law enforcement practice. There were 18 no-knock warrants issued last year. In 2023, that number was 84. And the year before that it was 179.
Video shows steel workers scrambling into wreckage left by explosion that killed 2 in Pennsylvania
After an explosion rocked a steel plant outside Pittsburgh, workers scrambled into the wreckage alongside firefighters directing streams of water. By the time the scene was secure, two people were dead and more than 10 others were injured, including one who spent hours trapped in rubble left Monday by the blast that was powerful enough to shake nearby homes.
Twins reinstate Byron Buxton from injured list to start series vs. Yankees
The Minnesota Twins reinstated center fielder Byron Buxton from the 10-day injured list. He homered in his first game back after missing 13 with an injury. He rejoined the Twins to start a three-game series against the New York Yankees and was leading off.
A Palestinian activist was killed by the violence he sought to stop
Awdah Al Hathaleen was shot during a clash with an Israeli settler. His West Bank village hoped “No Other Land,” the Oscar-winning film about settler violence that he worked on, might help protect them.
Minnesota is armoring its shorelines with rocks, but lakes are paying a price
Homeowners increasingly layer rocks on their shores to prevent lake shorelines from eroding. But experts say rock riprap increases pollution and warms lakes, creating conditions that spur algae blooms. And often, it’s not necessary.