Breaking News

Editorials

Call it what you like, it’s an invasion

Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops on Monday into sections of Ukraine held by Russian-backed separatists. Putin had earlier recognized the validity of the separatists’ claims of independence, and said the Russian troops were entering the regions as “peacekeepers.” Peacekeepers? Right. President Joe Biden has pegged the move for what it is, the beginning of an invasion of Ukraine, and he announced heavy economic sanctions against Russian oligarchs and banks, with harsher sanctions to come if Putin advances further into Ukraine. Germany took steps to halt the ...

How do you prove hate?

The three white men convicted in the murder of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man, last fall were all sentenced to life in prison. Two of them, Travis and his father Gregory McMichael, got life without parole. William “Roddie” Bryan Jr., who just chased Arbery through his Georgia neighborhood and recorded his death on his cell phone, could get parole after 30 years. This month they have been on trial again, on federal hate crime charges. The jury went into deliberations on Monday. Prosecutors hoped their arguments proved the three were motivated by racial hatred. While that motivation ...

Russia appears ready to move

Much of America’s military intelligence capacity is focused now on the Russia-Ukraine border, where Russian troops are massed, and ready for President Vladimir Putin to give the order to attack. Day by day, the Biden administration and NATO allies have warned that a Russian incursion into the Ukraine is imminent, that the attack could come any day. Putin has denied that, and announced that the troops amassed for military “exercises” would be pulled back on Sunday. Sunday came and went, and the troops remained in place. Intelligence reports indicate that the Russian military ...

Sports gambling in Minnesota? It’s being done

There are some issues that come before the Minnesota Legislature that fall into the “wouldn’t it be nice?” category, instead of the “This needs to get done” category. Legalizing sports gambling is one of them. It is also one of the few issues in the Legislature that has a bipartisan push behind it. Legislators are working with Minnesota’s professional sports teams, the University of Minnesota, sports gaming companies and all 11 of Minnesota’s tribes to come up with a plan all can agree to. Past bills have been opposed by the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association. We’re ...

Olympic dreams

Olympic athletes dream of winning a gold medal, standing on the top step of the platform and hearing their national anthem played. That’s not happening for participants in the team figure skating event in the Beijing Olympics. The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) team took the gold, and the U.S. skaters the silver, but no medal ceremony will be held while Olympic doping officials check for possible performance-enhancing drug violations by Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva, age 15. Valieva continues to compete until the investigation is completed. The outcome of her investigation ...

Redistricting map changes first, second districts

Minnesota’s new congressional district maps were released Tuesday, and Minnesota’s First and Second Congressional Districts are trading some territory. According to the maps drawn by a five-judge panel appointed by the Minnesota Supreme Court, the Second District, represented now by Rep. Angie Craig, will cede Goodhue and Wabasha counties on the east to the First District, while the First District, represented by Rep. Jim Hagedorn, will give LeSueur County to the second. The change will add more population to the First District, which has seen rural population declining. The two ...