Jeffries wins historic bid to lead House Dems after Pelosi
House Democrats ushered in a new generation of leaders on Wednesday with Rep. Hakeem Jeffries elected to be the first Black American to head a major political party in Congress at a pivotal time as long-serving Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her team step aside next year.
Walz signals openness to revived Sanford-Fairview merger
The two health systems tried to combine in 2013, but the deal fell apart after resistance from Minnesota political leaders.
House votes to avert rail strike, impose deal on unions
The U.S. House moved urgently to head off the looming nationwide rail strike on Wednesday, passing a bill that would bind companies and workers to a proposed settlement that was reached in September but rejected by some of the 12 unions involved.
World
UN makes record aid appeal amid disasters, Ukraine war
The United Nations said Thursday that it is asking member states for a record $51.5 billion in aid funding for next year, as disasters and the ongoing war in Ukraine drive up humanitarian needs worldwide.
Nation
Prayers? Bombs? Hawaii history shows stopping lava not easy
Prayer. Bombs. Walls. Over the decades, people have tried all of them to stanch the flow of lava from Hawaii's volcanoes as it lumbered toward roads, homes and infrastructure.
Business
China's Xi urges Ukraine talks in meeting with EU's Michel
Chinese leader Xi Jinping urged negotiations on a political solution to the Ukraine conflict in talks with visiting European Council President Charles Michel in Beijing Thursday, state broadcaster CCTV said.
Politics
Obama heads to Ga. as Warnock seeks big early vote advantage
Georgia voters have cast more than 1 million ballots ahead of the Dec. 6 U.S. Senate runoff between Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock and Republican challenger Herschel Walker, with Warnock looking to juice an apparent Democratic head start in early voting with a visit Thursday from Barack Obama.
Sports
Rossi ousts billionaire Lisin to head Olympic shooting body
Italian official Luciano Rossi has beaten incumbent president and Russian billionaire Vladimir Lisin to become the new head of the governing body for Olympic shooting.
World
North Korea's Kim calls for meeting to review state affairs
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called for a major political conference before year's end at which he is expected to address his increasingly tense relations with Washington and Seoul over the expansion of his nuclear and missile programs.
Politics
Red, white, blue theme for French White House state dinner
Butter-poached Maine lobster, beef with shallot marmalade and an American cheese trio will be served when French President Emmanuel Macron takes his seat Thursday as the guest of honor at a red-white-and-blue themed White House state dinner, the first for President Joe Biden.
World
In new role as G-20 chair, India set to focus on climate
India officially takes up its role as chair of the Group of 20 leading economies for the coming year Thursday and it's putting climate at the top of the group's priorities.
World
Spain: 2 new letter bombs detected after Ukraine blast
Spanish police are investigating a suspect letter bomb sent to an air base outside Madrid early Thursday, a day after a letter bomb exploded at the Ukrainian Embassy injuring an employee, the interior and defense ministries said.
Business
Asian shares gain after Fed chair signals slower rate hikes
Shares advanced in Europe and Asia on Thursday after a rally on Wall Street spurred by the Federal Reserve chair's comments on easing the pace of interest rate hikes to tame inflation.
Politics
Biden hosts Macron amid friction over US climate law
Presidents Joe Biden and Emmanuel Macron are celebrating the longstanding U.S.-French relationship — but these are friends with differences. The French president is using his visit to Washington to sharply criticize aspects of the U.S. president's signature climate law as a bad deal for Europe.
World
China eases some virus controls, searches pedestrians
More Chinese cities eased some anti-virus restrictions as police patrolled their streets to head off protests Thursday while the ruling Communist Party prepared for the high-profile funeral of late leader Jiang Zemin.
Business
Australian jailed in Myanmar applauded in Parliament
Sean Turnell, an Australian economist who spent almost two years imprisoned in Myanmar, received a hero's welcome Thursday at Australia's Parliament House where lawmakers rose in a standing ovation and the prime minister praised his courage, optimism and resilience.
Business
Chinese users play cat-and-mouse with censors amid protests
Videos of hundreds protesting in Shanghai started to appear on WeChat Saturday night. Showing chants about removing COVID-19 restrictions and demanding freedom, they would only stay up for only minutes before being censored.
World
'Do something:' Ukraine works to heal soldiers' mental scars
Sleep plunges the soldier back into the horrors of Ukraine's battlefields. He can hear bombs falling again and picture explosions. He imagines himself frantically running, trying to save himself and others. The nightmares are so vivid and frightening that he pleads with his doctor for help. "It will blow my mind," he warns. "So do something."
Politics
Taliban silence Voice of America broadcasts in Afghanistan
The Voice of America said Wednesday that Taliban authorities have banned FM radio broadcasts from VOA and Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty in Afghanistan, starting Thursday.
Nation
Tough Oregon gun law faces legal challenge, could be delayed
Midterm voters in Oregon narrowly passed one of the toughest gun control laws in the nation, buoying the hopes of gun control supporters, but the new permit-to-purchase mandate and ban on high-capacity magazines now faces a lawsuit that could put it on ice just days before it's set to take effect.
Business
Hong Kong publisher's national security trial postponed
The trial of a Hong Kong newspaper publisher who was arrested in a crackdown on a pro-democracy movement was postponed Thursday after the territory's leader asked China to effectively block him from hiring a British defense lawyer.
World
India PM Modi's home state Gujarat votes in key local polls
Voters in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's home state of Gujarat cast ballots Thursday in crucial local elections, a vote that is seen as a barometer of his ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's popularity ahead of a 2024 general election in India.
Politics
Abortion rights groups look to next fights after 2022 wins
Emboldened by the results of November's midterms, abortion rights supporters say they are preparing for even bigger fights in state legislatures and pivotal elections to come, including 2024 races for Congress and president.
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Minnesota Politics
Latest politics news from the Twin Cities, Minnesota and Washington, D.C., including Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Minnesota Legislature, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter.