Special Coverage

Reporter’s notebook: Minneapolis police, Black men find common ground in Alabama’s past
A group of Minneapolis police officers and Black residents explored history museums and historic sites in Alabama detailing the horrors of slavery and the terror enforced against Black people. They invited MPR News host Angela Davis to come along. Here’s what she saw.
‘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.
To boost kids’ reading, Minnesota schools start to shift the way they teach
Schools are working now to overhaul literacy teaching to comply with a new state law, the Read Act. A visit to one Minnesota district shows the hopes and challenges that come with overturning decades of instructional practice.
New year, new laws: These laws are now in effect in Minnesota
More than a dozen new laws go into effect Jan. 1. The state will see more protections for concert ticket buyers, salary ranges required in job postings, additional rights for renters and more.
2024 in focus: Favorite photos of the year from MPR News’ lens
From politics to playoff dreams, unseasonable winters to moments of quiet resilience, the MPR News photo team did what they do best: follow their curiosity, chase stories and bring you along for the ride, one frame at a time.
The 41 best books MPR News staff read in 2024
From a submarine survival adventure during World War II to an exploration of the dark side of a Catholic convent on the Irish countryside, our staff has wide-ranging taste for their favorite book they read in 2024.
Rising star from Minneapolis brings LGBTQ+ representation to pro wrestling
As a Black gay man, Devon Monroe is paving the way for a new kind of pro wrestler — flamboyant, authentic, confident — and building a loyal fan base while he’s doing it.
‘Green Gold’: Booming demand for holiday greenery sparks illicit trade in northern Minnesota
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says unlicensed bandits are snipping off the tops of spruce trees, trying to cash in on a market that one legal harvester calls “green gold.”