Stories from December 8, 2025

Clipper parade: Winter storm warnings include northern Twin Cities
A potent Alberta Clipper brings heavy snow and winds to Minnesota Tuesday. Travel will be difficult, especially late Tuesday and early Wednesday.
Bessent divests from soybean farmland ahead of Trump aid announcement for farmers
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has proclaimed solidarity with U.S. farmers in recent months as they grappled with the loss of a major soybean buyer due to President Donald Trump's trade war with China.
MDH recommends hepatitis B vaccine at birth, despite change in federal guidance
On Friday, a federal vaccine advisory committee voted to end the longstanding recommendation that all U.S. babies get the hepatitis B vaccine on the day they’re born. The Minnesota Department of Health said it will continue to recommend the vaccine.
Officials at Augsburg University in Minneapolis say federal immigration agents entered a private campus parking lot without a warrant on Saturday afternoon and detained a student. And the Minneapolis City Council this week will consider a new ordinance that its authors say will require a more humane approach to homeless encampments.
Not so fast, Netflix. Paramount launches hostile bid for Warner Bros. Discovery
Paramount has launched a hostile bid for the company that's home to Casablanca, Batman and CNN. Just Friday, Netflix and Warner Brothers executives were celebrating a deal they had struck. 
Oral histories and lullabies in Sing Again project speak to Somali resilience
Educator and author Marian Hassan captures the oral history and lullabies of Somali culture. Through her “Sing Again” project, she has recorded and documented many songs in their original tongue.
Augsburg University president: ICE ‘illegally’ detained student, didn’t show warrant
Augsburg University president Paul Pribbenow said the school will now be locking more buildings so that ICE agents cannot enter without a warrant. Federal officials say university staff “attempted to obstruct the arrest.”
Minnesota immigrant-rights groups report surge in ICE alerts as federal arrests climb
Minnesota immigrant-rights groups say they’re being inundated with alerts as ICE steps up arrests and enforcement operations, stretching volunteer networks and heightening fear in local communities.
Twin Cities on edge of heavy snow zone as winter storm moves in
A fast-moving winter storm is expected to brush the Twin Cities on Tuesday, putting the metro on the edge of a narrow band of heavier snow sweeping across central Minnesota. Milder temperatures ahead of the system are expected to complicate the forecast.
Warm November gives way to cold, snowy December in Minnesota
Snowpacks mean colder temperatures, and snowfall is expected throughout the state through Thursday. Climatologist and meteorologist Mark Seeley spoke to Cathy Wurzer during their weekly Friday weather chat.
Trump is proposing a $12B aid package for farmers hit hard by his trade war with China
A White House official says President Donald Trump is planning a $12 billion aid package for U.S. farmers who have struggled to sell their crops while getting hit by rising costs after the president raised tariffs on China as part of a broader trade war.
Trump’s Own Mortgages Match His Description of Mortgage Fraud, Records Reveal
The Trump administration has argued that Fed board member Lisa Cook may have committed mortgage fraud by declaring more than one primary residence on her loans. We found Trump once did the very thing he called “deceitful and potentially criminal.”
Fire causes major damage at mosque and school in Prior Lake
A mosque in Prior Lake was severely damaged in a fire early Monday morning. As state and federal officials investigate the cause, Twin Cities Muslim leaders are declining to speculate whether the fire was an accident or set intentionally.
Does one drink make you dizzy? Why alcohol hits us harder as we age
For many people, the holidays mean more parties and more occasions to drink. But if you’ve noticed that one cocktail hits you harder than it used to, there’s a scientific reason to explain it.
Morning Announcements for Dec. 8
These are the Morning Announcements for Monday, Dec. 8. Tell us what you’re celebrating!
Job hopping vs. job hugging: Why workers are rethinking career moves
MPR News guest host Chris Farrell talks about shifting hiring trends, layoffs and what it all means for our careers and workplaces. When is it smart to switch jobs and when is it better to stay?
Rafael Ithier, a legend of salsa music, dies at 99
The pianist, composer and arranger spent more than six decades turning El Gran Combo into one of the premier salsa institutions of Latin America and beyond.
Supreme Court to hear case that could vastly expand presidential powers
The Supreme Court hears arguments in a case about President Trump’s firing of a Federal Trade Commissioner. At stake is a 90-year precedent limiting the president’s power over independent agencies.
Warmer Monday and Tuesday with a couple rounds of snow ahead
The week starts warmer but ends colder. The pattern also remains active with disturbances bringing snow chances late Monday, Tuesday and Thursday this week. 
A week into immigration operation, Minnesota Somalis remain on edge but vow resilience
An ICE operation focused on Somali immigrants in Minnesota has led to at least 19 arrests in its first week, as federal agents are mum on the exact scope. Somali Minnesotans, most of whom have U.S. citizenship, say it’s creating fear and anxiety in their communities.
Minnesota schools back families as Trump’s anti-immigrant comments stoke new fears
President Donald Trump’s anti-Somali rhetoric has frightened students, families and staff across the state. Minnesota school leaders say they’re connecting families to legal resources and enforcing policies to keep students safe at school.
Housing or parkland? Duluth debates future of long-closed golf course amid housing crunch
The Duluth City Council will vote Monday night on whether to transfer the long-closed Lester Park Golf Course to its economic development arm to pave the way for a possible housing development. Critics say the public process leading up to the vote has been flawed.