Steffen's Segments

By Eleanor Steffen Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with President Trump on Friday to negotiate peace with Russia and an agreement regarding Ukraine's rare-earth materials,  according to NBC News . Tensions were high between Zelenskyy, Trump, and Vice President JD Vance as the U.S. executive leaders criticized the Ukrainian president's proposals,  according to the Associated Press . As Zelenskyy advocated for extended U.S. security in Ukraine, Vance told him to "just say thank you" while Trump found Zelenskyy's requests to be "disrespectful",  says the AP . In discussing the distribution of Ukraine's rare-earth materials, Zelenskyy said that Ukraine would be willing to trade the country's resources for further U.S. security against Russia,  according to the AP . Trump disagreed, saying that access to Ukraine's resources would compensate for the military support that was offered to Ukraine during former President Biden's adminis...

By Eleanor Steffen Minnesota's politicians have been busy since January, adapting to and reshaping the local, state, and federal changes initiated by the new executive administration. There's no time to waste! Now for the news. Heels or wheels:  The Minneapolis city council voted on Thursday to override Mayor Jacob Frey's veto aiming to keep George Floyd Square an operating intersection, according to the Sahan Journal . The future of the intersection, where Floyd was killed in May 2020, is an ongoing topic of debate as many activists and locals look to reform it to a pedestrian plaza, says the journal . Third time's a charm:  A spokesperson for state Gov. Tim Walz said on Wednesday that Walz is looking to run for a third term in his position and will not be running for senate in the coming election, according to CBS News . Democratic Sen. Tina Smith said early February that she will not be running for reelection in 2026 and Walz was named as a potential replacement, say...

University of Minnesota students study hard in The Toaster Innovation Hub beneath Wilson Library. Midterms week has descended on the UMN campus. (Eleanor Steffen/Hubbard School of Journalism and Mass Communication) By Eleanor Steffen University of Minnesota students are critical of President Donald Trump's intentions and leadership after the first month of his second term in office. Trump began his second term by issuing dozens of executive orders that targeted matters such as crackdowns on immigration, reversing climate change actions, terminating federal diversity programs, and designing policies that define genders, according to NPR . The orders put students in an uneasy position as Trump moves to defund and ultimately eliminate the Department of Education, says NPR . Interviews conducted Wednesday and Thursday with five UMN students confirmed this discomfort. Student reactions... 💭 Victor Corral, 29, a fifth-year graduate student at UMN pursuing his PhD in Molecular Pharmacolo...