Stories from December 17, 2025

FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino says he plans to resign next month as bureau's No 2 official
FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino says he’ll resign from the bureau next month, ending a brief tenure in which he clashed with the Justice Department over the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and was forced to reconcile the realities of his law enforcement job with provocative claims he made in his prior role as a popular podcast host.
In an order issued Wednesday, a judge said the man who is under a final deportation order, is not likely to be sent back to Somalia or any other country and should be released from custody
Lawsuit alleges ICE is violating rights of people observing immigration operations in Minnesota
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is facing a lawsuit, alleging its agents have violated the rights of Minnesotans who’ve been observing recent immigration operations in the state.
4 Republicans defy Speaker Johnson to force House vote on extending ACA subsidies
Four centrist Republicans have broken with their party's leadership over health care. They've signed onto a Democratic-led petition that will force a House vote on extending for three years an enhanced pandemic-era subsidy that lowers health insurance costs for millions of Americans. 
Israel fires mortar into Gaza residential area, wounding at least 10
Israel’s military says troops fired a mortar shell into a Palestinian residential area in the Gaza Strip, in the latest incident to rock the tenuous ceasefire with Hamas. Health officials on Wednesday said at least 10 people were wounded, and the army said it was investigating.
Twin Cities musician Adam Bohanan is creating 'a very funky' soundtrack for Hanukkah
Adam Bohanan is putting on a show called “A Very Funky Hanukkah Show,” Thursday night at The Cedar Cultural Center in Minneapolis where he will share some new original Hanukkah tunes.
Inside the Trump administration’s man-made hunger crisis
“Brutal and traumatizing”: Interviews and a trove of internal documents show government officials and aid workers desperately tried to warn Trump advisers about impending disaster and death.
'People seek our food to feel close to home': Minneapolis chef says ICE fears hurt business
Immigrations and Customs Enforcement agents have detained hundreds of people in the Twin Cities in recent weeks. The increased activity has put the restaurant industry on edge.
Lumbee Tribe's federal recognition another step closer as Senate passes defense bill
The Senate's passage of the National Defense Authorization Act on Wednesday has also secured the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina's federal recognition as a tribal nation. The state recognized tribe, whose historic and genealogical claims have been a subject of controversy for decades, has been seeking federal recognition for generations.
Blizzard warning for NW Minnesota; winter storm warnings north
A fierce winter storm will bring blizzard conditions to northwestern Minnesota Thursday. Rain will change to snow in the south overnight into Thursday. Thursday will be windy and much colder with temperatures falling through the day.
The Oscars will move to YouTube in 2029, leaving longtime home of ABC
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has announced a major change for the Oscars. Starting in 2029, the awards ceremony will stream on YouTube. ABC will continue broadcasting the event until 2028, which will mark the 100th Oscars. 
AI's role in holiday shopping is mostly under the hood, for now, researcher says
Dayton Steele, an assistant professor at the University of Minnesota Carlson School of Management, joined Cathy Wurzer on Morning Edition to share how AI informs and aids the holiday shopping season.
Minnesota Twins announce additions to team's ownership group
Four months after abandoning plans to sell the team, the longtime owners of the Minnesota Twins announced Wednesday that several new “limited partners” have secured stakes in the franchise. The new limited partners include Minnesota Wild owner Craig Leipold.
In 2023, Hennepin County vowed to end chronic homelessness by now. What happened?
While the goal wasn’t met, agencies and advocates press on. What they’re up against: data-gathering problems, funding shortages, and the need to win the trust of the population they serve.
Morning Announcements for Dec. 17
These are the Morning Announcements for Wednesday, Dec. 17. Tell us what you’re celebrating!
What does it really mean to be happy?
MPR News guest host Catharine Richert talks with a philosopher who says we should stop chasing happy feelings and focus instead on what it means to flourish.  
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey is calling on Twin Cities residents to shop at Latino and Somali-owned businesses as the Federal Department of Homeland Security has increased its presence in the Twin Cities.
Still mild Wednesday but wintry weather is returning
Clouds increase Wednesday as the next system brings rain and snow to the region Wednesday night into Thursday. Temperatures will fall Thursday into Friday for the weekend. 
Susie Wiles, White House chief of staff, criticizes Bondi and opines on Trump in Vanity Fair
White House chief of staff Susie Wiles is criticizing Attorney General Pam Bondi’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case and broadly defending Donald Trump's second presidency in a series of interviews published Tuesday.
Kaprizov, Tarasenko, Gustavsson help Wild stay hot with 5-0 victory over Capitals
 Vladimir Tarasenko had two goals and an assist, Filip Gustavsson made 25 saves, and Kirill Kaprizov became Minnesota’s career leader in power-play goals in the Wild’s 5-0 win over the Washington Capitals.
Judge frees couple charged with 'kidnapping' immigration agent as defense challenges government's account
Attorneys for a couple charged with driving to a police station with an HSI agent in their car dispute the government’s account of the incident. A judge released both from jail pending trial.
Hair salon economics: Less spending on cuts, colors, nails and massages indicative of slowdown
If you want to get a last minute hair cut and color in time for the holidays, you still might be able to get an appointment. That’s because hair stylists, who are usually booked well in advance during the holidays, are seeing their business slow.
Downtown Minneapolis is struggling. Would a new Wolves and Lynx arena help?
Downtown Minneapolis continues to struggle since the pandemic. More than a third of offices are still vacant. Would a new arena for the Timberwolves and Lynx really bring life back to downtown?
Trump orders blockade of 'sanctioned oil tankers' into Venezuela, ramping up pressure on Maduro
President Donald Trump says he is ordering a blockade of all “sanctioned oil tankers” into Venezuela, ramping up pressure on the country’s authoritarian leader Nicolás Maduro.
Minnesota will pause new adult day care licenses through 2028 amid fraud concerns, citing rapid growth and low demand.