Ramaphosa: ‘I don’t have a plane to give you’
FAMOUS BIRTHDAYS
Actor Richard Benjamin, 87 MLB’s Tommy John, 82Lyricist Bernie Taupin, 75Singer Morrissey, 66Model Naomi Campbell, 55Tennis’ Novak Djokovic, 38.
It may already be too hot to save polar ice sheets
Ten years ago, policymakers and nation states set the world’s most important climate goal: limiting planetary warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.
‘Cheers’ stars pay tribute to Wendt
George Wendt’s fellow cast members on the hit sitcom “Cheers” raised a toast to the actor after learning of his death.Ted Danson, who played the bartender Sam, issued a statement saying, “I am devastated to hear that Georgie is no longer with us.
Major papers run unvetted AI
The Chicago Sun-Times and the Philadelphia Inquirer find themselves at the center of an AI-related gaffe after they published syndicated content packed with unidentifiable quotes from fake experts and imaginary book titles created using generative artificial intelligence.
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To our readers
Our distinctive local journalism as a digital media company fuels our online platforms and newspaper. The print edition leans into what print does best: curation, variety and visuals.
Louisiana plantation fire sparks jubilation, consternation
After a fire engulfed a mansion at Louisiana’s Nottoway Plantation, one of the largest remaining pre-Civil War houses in the Deep South where scores of enslaved Africans labored, video footage of the combusted landmark lit the internet ablaze with mass jubilation and consternation over the weekend.
DOJ seeks dismissal of MPD consent decree
The Trump administration has moved to dismiss a consentdecree agreement between Minneapolis and the Department of Justice that would usher in sweeping reforms to the city’s Police Department.
Work on budget’s big pieces is private
Health care for thousands of Minnesotans, changes to a statewide paid family leave law, hundreds of millions of dollars for public works projects and much more are all on the line as Minnesota lawmakers feverishly work to resolve their differences and pass an approximately $66 billion two-year state budget.
Decrees spur change but are blasted as tax waste
There were many signs that the Trump administration would seek to dismiss the Justice Department’s consent decree with Minneapolis that calls for far-reaching reforms to the city’s Police Department.
Divided House GOP hinders Trump’s tax bill
New fissures among House Republicans over deficits and health care spending emerged Wednesday that could stall President Donald Trump’s massive tax and immigration legislation.
Ruling condemns expulsion fl ight
WASHINGTON – The White House violated a court order on deportations to third countries with a flight linked to the chaotic African nation of South Sudan, a federal judge said Wednesday, hours after the Trump administration said it had expelled eight immigrants convicted of violent crimes in the United States but refused to reveal where they would end up.
Putin visits recaptured Russian Kursk region
President Vladimir Putin visited Russia’s Kursk region for the first time since Moscow claimed that it drove Ukrainian forces out of the area last month, the Kremlin said Wednesday.
In front of cameras, Trump ambushes South African leader
WASHINGTON – In an astonishing confrontation in the Oval Office on Wednesday, President Donald Trump lectured President Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa with false claims about a genocide against white Afrikaner farmers, even dimming the lights to show what he said was video evidence of their persecution.
Pentagon accepts luxury jet from Qatar for use as Air Force One
The Pentagon on Wednesday took possession of a Qatari luxury jet sought by President Donald Trump for use as Air Force One, despite vocal pushback from lawmakers, national security experts and legal scholars alarmed by the arrangement.
Report: Policing progress is made
Minneapolis police made significant progress toward implementing reforms as required by a state-ordered settlement agreement, though the department did not meet all its goals laid out for year one of the process, according to a new report.
DEVELOPMENTS
Supreme Court is asked to shield DOGE recordsThe Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Wednesday to shield Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency from being forced to turn over internal agency documents as part of a lawsuit by a watchdog group.
Fight over George Floyd Square continues
Several nonprofits are competing to redevelop the “People’s Way,” a defunct Speedway gas station that serves as the protest headquarters of George Floyd Square.
MPLS. PRINCIPAL RETURNS FROM SWEDEN WITH LUNCH PLANS
Look around the lunchroom at Lake Harriet Lower Elementary School in Minneapolis and you’ll notice more than just kids enjoying their grilled cheese and tomato soup.
Fergus Falls priest studied with pope
FERGUS FALLS, MINN.– In his temporary office in a downtown office suite, the Rev. Lucho Palomino let me try out my broken Spanish.“I want … a … green T-shirt,” I told him, drawing from my recent Duolingo lesson on shopping.
NATION & WORLD
VATICAN CITY Pope Leo calls for aid to reach Gaza StripPope Leo called Wednesday for humanitarian aid to reach the Gaza Strip and for an end to the “heartbreaking” toll on its people, as he presided over his first general audience in St.
Release of U grad student ordered
A federal judge ordered the government to release an international University of Minnesota graduate student from custody after more than seven weeks of immigration detention.
Schweppe, Betty Lou
Betty passed away on January 16, 2025 age of 82 in Centerville, MN. Reunited with her husband Pete and daughter Suzanne in heaven. Betty is survived by her son Tim (Anne) Schweppe, granddaughters Lauren and Megan, siblings Ron and Judy.
Turner, Oscar Orienton, Jr.
of Minneapolis, passed away on May 13, 2025, at the age of 76. He is survived by his wife, Carmen; daughter, and son. Memorial service 3:00 PM, Sunday, May 25, Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 701 Humboldt Ave.
Berquist, Evan C.
43, abeloved husband, father, and son, died unexpectedly on May 9th, 2025.Evan was born in St. Paul, MN to Alice and Charles Berquist on January 27, 1982.
Charges will stand in Rochester crash
An Olmsted County judge has denied former Minnesota trooper Shane Roper’s request for the court to drop charges against him for his role in a 2024 crash that killed Owatonna teenager Olivia Flores.
Family sues federal Bureau of Prisons
The family of a woman who died in a Waseca federal prison has filed a lawsuit alleging the facility failed to provide proper medical care for weeks, despite doctors advising she needed emergency heart surgery.
Erickson, Sandra Ann
Sandy was born on September 3, 1940, in Milwaukee, WI, and raised in St. Charles, MN.She is survived by her husband, Phil Erickson ("Philly-boy"); their daughters, Kirsten and Sara; her sister, Rochelle; her nephew, Jason; grandchildren Emme, Caroline, Natalie, and Miles; and many dear family members and friends.
Over 6,000 felons voted under new law
More than 6,000 Minnesotans newly eligible to vote cast their ballots last year after lawmakers expanded voting rights to residents on felony parole and probation.
How little fish and secret mushrooms can salve our culture wars
When I heard the tuba, I knew something was up.You see all kinds of people walking along Duluth’s Canal Park during the busy months. And yet, the fuzzy-haired tuba player honking the original Super Mario Bros.
READERS WRITE
GEORGE FLOYD: FIVE YEARS LATERRebirth is inherent to Lake StreetI very much appreciated Teresa Ortiz’s opinion piece, “Lake Street rising” (Strib Voices, May 21).
YOUR VIEWS?
YOUR VIEWS? We welcome your participation in these pages, whether in letters for the “Readers Write” section or commentaries. The best way to contribute is through the “submit a letter or commentary” link on our website, at startribune.
Why Derek Chauvin killed George Floyd is still unknown
Despite calls for a presidential pardon by right-wing pundits claiming that George Floyd did something to cause his own death, the guilty verdict against Derek Chauvin stands, five years after the murder for which he is serving a 22-year prison sentence.
I knew George Floyd and Derek Chauvin
For years, El Nuevo Rodeo, my vibrant three-story Latino nightclub in the Odd Fellows building on East Lake Street, pulsed with music and life. Overseeing the late-night energy and ensuring its safety was a cadre of off-duty police officers that worked hand in hand with the in-house security team I ran.
May the pending special session be one that inspires trust
Another special session. Ho-hum.You’re on rational ground if that’s your reaction to Monday night’s word from the State Capitol. Midnight arrived (yawn!) with the Legislature’s budget-setting work incomplete.
Brotherly bond now a rivalry for NAW
OKLAHOMA CITY – In the third quarter of the Timberwolves’ Game 1 loss to Oklahoma City, Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander tried to drive right past his cousin, Nickeil Alexander-Walker.
Defeating home hero
Up on the podium after a closer-than-it-should-have-been 85-81 victory over the Dallas Wings on Wednesday night at Target Center, Lynx point guard Courtney Williams was talking about the pressure she faced, how often she got trapped on ball screens, how she has to be ready for other teams to do the same thing.
Success of franchises, preps products emblematic of this ‘State of Basketball’
Members of the State of Basketball gathered on Wednesday to welcome back one of their own in Paige Bueckers, the Hopkins and UConn legend who is embarking on her rookie WNBA season.
Twins earn oddball split
Cole Sands was only a teammate of Carlos Santana for one summer. But it all came rushing back when Sands let go of a fastball, up and away, to the Cleveland Guardians first baseman Wednesday.
Owners vote to keep ‘tush push’
NFL owners did not pass a proposal Wednesday to ban the “tush push,” a type of quarterback sneak popularized and most successfully used by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Correa makes progress after concussion; Buxton evaluated
Carlos Correa completed a workout before Wednesday’s doubleheader, including some running in the Target Field outfield.It’s a good indication that the Twins shortstop is recovering well from the concussion that has sidelined him since last Thursday.
Frost at a familiar disadvantage
The Frost are 0-4 in Game 1s of PWHL playoff series so far in their short history, yet they’ve won each of the first three series, including the one that led them to last season’s Walter Cup championship.
Power-play goals carry Stars to Game 1 victory
DALLAS – Miro Heiskanen, Mikael Granlund and Matt Duchene scored power-play goals in a 5:26 span early in the third period, and the Dallas Stars opened their Western Conference finals rematch against the Edmonton Oilers with a 6-3 victory Wednesday night.
Gilgeous-Alexander is named NBA MVP
The case for Shai Gilgeous- Alexander was simple. He’s the best player on an Oklahoma City team that had the best record this season. He also won the scoring title.
Aurora to open Year 4 with a familiar group
Maybe the Minnesota Aurora’s goal for 2025 is simple: more of the same.After all, this is still a team that has never lost a regularseason game in the USL W League.
30 JULIUS RANDLE
UHG shares dip after payment allegation
Shares of UnitedHealth Group fell in early trading Wednesday on a news report alleging the Eden Prairie-based health care giant secretly paid bonuses to nursing homes to slash transfers to hospitals, thereby saving money for the company’s UnitedHealthcare insurance business.
Medtronic plans for diabetes spinoff
When patients think of Medtronic, their minds may first wander to pacemakers, but then diabetes products such as insulin pumps and pens.Soon, this will change.
Target’s outlook worsens as consumers tighten budgets
Target’s disappointing spring results sent up a warning flare that American consumers are struggling.The Minneapolis-based retailer’s comparable sales for February, March and April declined nearly 4%, the company said Wednesday.
Graco will move HQ to Dayton or Rogers
Graco Inc. will leave Minneapolis in two years and build a new headquarters in the northwest metro, company officials announced Wednesday.The news caught city offi cials by surprise.
Shakeup of execs signals urgency to fix problems
Target shook up its leadership ranks on Wednesday, signaling greater urgency around the company’s need to set a new course.Investors have long sought evidence the company is taking seriously their concerns about its strategy and direction.
U.S. to consider selling mineral seabed leases
The Trump administration said Wednesday it will consider selling leases to extract minerals from the seabed off the South Pacific island of American Samoa, a potential first step in a wider industry push to allow deep-sea mining that environmentalists oppose because they say it could irreparably harm marine ecosystems.
WEATHER
Video forecasts: startribune.com/weather Paul’s blog: startribune.com/pauldouglasIt is a tale of two Minnesotas. Central and southern Minnesota is green and lush after 2-3 inches or more of rain, while the Arrowhead and far northern counties are dry and dusty, with fires burning north of Duluth.
Tax cuts amplify debt, deficit worries for bond investors
For decades, budget hawks warned that America’s debt load was unsustainable and that runaway spending financed with borrowed money was eventually going to scare investors away from lending to the United States.
Report: Critical minerals for clean energy are held in fewer countries
FRANKFURT, GERMANY – The world’s sources of critical minerals are increasingly concentrated in just a few countries, most notably China, leaving the global economy vulnerable to supply cutoffs that could disrupt industry and hit consumers with higher prices, a report said Wednesday.
Beer ’tails
The time has come to liberate beer from the constraints of the pint glass. In a rocks, Collins or highball glass, on the rocks or straight up in a cocktail coupe, beer makes a great mixer for spirit-based cocktails.
Three Asian markets with eat-in options
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, and a delicious way to celebrate is to explore a variety of rich food traditions right in our backyards.
Blondie - Comics
For Better Or For Worse - Comics
Pickles - Comics
Judge Parker - Comics
Comics
Pearls Before Swine - Comics
Comics
Garfield - Comics
Get Fuzzy - Comics
Sally Forth - Comics
Heart of the City - Comics
Baby Blues - Comics
One Big Happy - Comics
Big Nate - Comics
Crank Shaft - Comics
Comics
Mother Goose And Grimm - Comics
Zits - Comics
Rhymes With Orange - Comics
Mr Boffo - Comics
Peanuts - Comics
HOROSCOPE
Your birthday today: This is a solar return of unapologetic selfhood. You know who you are and who you want to be, and all aligns to carry you there.Aries and Pisces adore you.
Arlo And Janis - Comics
Comics
Puzzles
Jump Start - Comics
Puzzles
FMinus - Comics
Luann - Comics
Baldo - Comics
Doonesbury - Comics
Hagar The Horrible - Comics
Family Circus - Comics
Dennis the Menace - Comics
Hi & Lois - Comics
Beetle Bailey - Comics
Flying McCoys - Comics
Argyle Sweater - Comics
WuMo - Comics
A six-pack of beer cocktails for summer sipping
Shandy MakerThis is another great cocktail for a hot summer day. The grapefruit juice drives this light and bitter drink. It merges well with the citrusy hops of an old-school American IPA.
Work dinners are hard to swallow
Dear Eric: I am a female executive employed by a large global corporation. It is a common practice in my workplace, and an expectation of my job, that I meet with colleagues, customers and service providers, sometimes while traveling for work, often solo, for business lunches and dinners at restaurants.
New York Times Daily Crossword - Puzzles
Sudoku - Puzzles
Puzzles
North Star Deli to have NHL theme
Pedro Wolcott’s North Star Deli will open at 315 W. 46th St. in Minneapolis’ Kingfield neighborhood with a healthy appreciation for hockey nostalgia and some serious sandwiches.
Universal Crossword - Puzzles
Puzzles
Local mushrooms a worthy stand-in for meat in larb recipe
Spring is a season of surprises. Suddenly the asparagus appears, next it’s delicate peas, tender lettuces and fistfuls of fresh herbs.Week after week, the farmers markets offer increasing bounty to tempt and delight.
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