1) Minneapolis investigations and trust in federal agents
Calls for an independent investigation intensified after two people were killed last month during a large Department of Homeland Security operation in Minneapolis. The sweep deployed roughly 3,000 Border Patrol and ICE personnel—far outnumbering the city police—and prompted protests, clashes, and widely shared images and video of confrontations.
Republican Sen. Rand Paul, chair of the Homeland Security Committee, has pushed for a public hearing and questioned whether DHS’s internal review can restore public confidence. He and other critics pointed to public misstatements by senior officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and said video does not support some official accounts of the victims’ actions. Former Justice Department investigators who reviewed footage raised concerns about use of force, the pushing of a helping bystander, and spraying of chemical agents in ways they said were not clearly justified. They also described the Civil Rights Division as understaffed and said the federal teams’ coordination with state investigators was atypical, undermining trust.
Justice Department officials said the FBI is conducting a standard criminal probe and the Civil Rights Division would participate as appropriate, but some former investigators argue an outside review would better restore public faith. Minneapolis officials, who have said their police will not assist in federal immigration enforcement, faced criticism over limited cooperation. Separately, the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division brought an indictment in Minnesota against reporter Don Lemon for alleged intimidation at a protest; Lemon denies the charge. Sen. Paul has scheduled a February hearing expected to include agency heads to examine the scope, transparency, and coordination of the federal response to the operations and shootings.
2) Artemis II and America’s return around the moon
After repeated delays, NASA readied Artemis II, a crewed test flight that will travel behind the far side of the moon and return — the first U.S. human mission beyond low Earth orbit in more than 50 years. At Kennedy Space Center, the Space Launch System rocket and Orion crew capsule rolled to the pad in a slow procession that drew engineers and family members involved in the program.
Four astronauts — commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and mission specialists Jeremy Hansen (Canada) and Christina Koch — will spend roughly 10 days validating life-support, navigation and reentry systems, and rehearsing procedures for the communications blackout while the spacecraft is behind the moon. The flight is designed to test integrated systems with humans aboard ahead of Artemis III, the mission intended to land astronauts on the lunar surface.
NASA’s return architecture relies heavily on commercial partners. A nearly $3 billion lunar lander contract awarded to SpaceX makes the surface campaign dependent on privately developed systems such as in-orbit refueling and reusable stages. SpaceX has rebounded from earlier Starship failures with successful launches, but technical readiness concerns create schedule risk. Industry responses include Blue Origin showing a Mark I cargo lander and refocusing resources toward lunar delivery. NASA has sought backup plans and asked contractors how to accelerate work while acknowledging the program’s complexity and potential for schedule slips. Artemis II follows Artemis I, which validated many systems but revealed a damaged heat shield on reentry; teams say trajectory and operations changes are underway to manage reentry heating before crewed flight.
3) Boom Chicago: Amsterdam improv that shaped U.S. comedy
In the early 1990s a small English-language improv troupe opened in Amsterdam and became an unexpected incubator for American comedic talent. Boom Chicago, founded by Northwestern alumni, offered performers a chance to hone sketch and improv work for international, multilingual audiences. Alumni include Seth Meyers, Jason Sudeikis, Jordan Peele, Amber Ruffin, Brendan Hunt, and Ike Barinholtz, among others who went on to late-night TV, SNL, film and streaming success.
Performers said the need to play to diverse audiences taught them to be bigger, clearer, and more universally funny; cultural differences forced sharper choices and stronger ensemble instincts. Boom Chicago expanded into corporate events and international tours, providing steady work and exposure beyond nightly shows. Dutch audiences were remembered as direct and honest, offering immediate feedback that cast members found valuable. Alumni reunions and continuing ties to Amsterdam underscore the club’s ongoing role as a stepping stone for many performers who later built careers in the United States.
4) Last Minute — Smithsonian stories
Smithsonian Secretary Lonnie Bunch III highlighted the institution’s vast collection of more than 155 million items as a record of the American effort to enlarge freedom. He pointed to a handmade tin wallet containing a 1850s ‘freedom paper’ belonging to Joseph Trammell as an object that symbolizes both the fragility and centrality of freedom. That story and others from the Smithsonian were featured in a recent segment on 60 Minutes.