Business in Minnesota has taken a hit as President Donald Trump's administration carries out an immigration sweep that has spurred protests. Some staff and customers are staying home out of fear of immigration enforcement officers. And protesters are targeting businesses they see as aiding federal immigration enforcement. Countless stores have temporarily closed, canceled events or reduced hours. Some hotels that housed federal immigration officers and saw protests have stopped accepting reservations altogether. Minneapolis-based Target Corp. also has seen protests. The state of Minnesota and the Twin Cities cited devastating economic impacts in a lawsuit imploring a federal judge to halt the immigration operations.

Nathan’s Famous, which opened as a 5-cent hot dog stand in Coney Island more than a century ago, has been sold to packaged meat giant Smithfield Foods in a $450 million all-cash deal.  Smithfield, which has held rights to produce and sell Nathan’s products in the U.S., Canada and at Sam’s Clubs in Mexico since 2014, will acquire all of Nathan’s outstanding shares for $102 each. Like almost every food company, Nathan’s has been under significant inflationary pressure. Nathan’s sales costs of branded products rose 27% compared with last year in its most recent quarter and there was a 20% increase in the average cost per pound of hot dogs.

Hospitals in Gaza say Israeli forces have killed at least 11 Palestinians on one of the deadliest days since the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel took effect in October. Among the dead are three Palestinian journalists who were killed while filming near a displacement camp in central Gaza. The Israeli military says it spotted suspects who were operating a drone posing a threat to its troops. Also killed in separate incidents were two 13-year-old boys. The strikes came as the United States is trying to push the ceasefire forward and implement its challenging second phase.

An emotional Prince Harry struck a defensive tone at the start of his testimony against the Daily Mail's publisher. Close to tears, he disputed that his friends leaked information and provided an emotional glimpse into the toll his battle against the British tabloids had taken. He testified Wednesday that the press continues to target him and have made his wife's life a misery. Harry and others, including Elton John, allege that Associated Newspapers Ltd. invaded their privacy through unlawful information gathering. The publisher denies the allegations. Harry claims the intrusion made him paranoid and blames the media for his mother's death and attacks on his wife, Meghan.

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement memo obtained by The Associated Press reveals that the agency allows immigration officers to forcibly enter homes to make arrests without a judicial warrant. This change reverses previous guidance and raises concerns about constitutional protections against illegal searches. The memo, signed by ICE’s acting director, states that administrative warrants are sufficient for forced entry if there’s a final order of removal. This policy could face legal challenges and criticism from advocacy groups. Whistleblower Aid, representing two government officials, describes the directive as seemingly unconstitutional and a significant shift in arrest powers. The Associated Press obtained the memo and whistleblower complaint from an official in Congress.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says about 4,000 buildings in Kyiv remain without heating, and nearly 60% of the city is without power following days of Russian attacks on Ukraine’s power grid. With temperatures dropping to minus 20 C, the cold winter has worsened the hardship for Ukrainians. U.S. President Donald Trump said at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland that he would meet Thursday with Zelenskyy, while U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff plans to discuss peace proposals with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Ukrainian air force reports Russia launched 97 drones and a ballistic missile overnight.

Ex-Alabama player Charles Bediako, who has spent the past 2 1/2 years competing in the NBA Summer League and G League, had his college eligibility temporarily reinstated by a judge who blocked the NCAA from retaliating for his return to the 17th-ranked Tide. Bediako had signed several NBA developmental contracts since going undrafted in 2023. He played two seasons at Alabama, averaging 6.6 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.7 blocks a game, and helped the Crimson Tide make the NCAA Tournament twice. James H. Roberts Jr. of the Tuscaloosa Circuit Court granted Bediako a temporary restraining order.

Maine is seeing an increase in immigration enforcement activity this week. The state's secretary of state has responded by declining to issue more undercover license plates for federal immigration officers. ICE Deputy Assistant Director Patricia Hyde told FOX News that it had made 50 arrests by Tuesday as part of “Operation Catch of the Day” and has more than 1,000 targets in the state. The actions have centered on Portland and Lewiston, the two largest cities in the state. The cities have thousands of residents of African descent, including many from Somalia.

The Supreme Court seems inclined to keep Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook in her job, casting doubt on President Donald Trump’s bid to wrest control of the nation’s central bank. The justices heard arguments Wednesday over Trump’s effort to fire Cook based on allegations she committed mortgage fraud, which she denies. No president has fired a sitting governor in the 112-year history of the Fed, which was structured to be independent of day-to-day politics. The true motivation for trying to fire Cook, Trump’s critics say, is the Republican president’s desire to exert control over U.S. interest rate policy. Conservative and liberal justices voiced skepticism over Cook's firing.

A judge overseeing Ghislaine Maxwell’s criminal case says two members of Congress lack the legal right to intervene and press their demand for a court-appointed observer to ensure the government complies with a new law ordering release of its files on Jeffrey Epstein. But the judge says the lawmakers are free to bring a civil lawsuit or work through the tools they have in Congress to improve oversight. The lawmakers had co-sponsored the Epstein Files Transparency Act and said the Trump administration's slow disclosure of Epstein investigation documents violated the law. The judge said they raised “undeniably important and timely” questions but couldn't intervene in the case.

The 42nd Sundance Film Festival kicks off this week in Park City, Utah. It marks the last edition in its longtime home and the first without founder Robert Redford, who died in September. Despite the changes, the festival remains vibrant with 90 features premiering through Feb. 1. Three of these films feature pop star Charli xcx. Sundance public programming director Eugene Hernandez describes the lineup as broad and eclectic. The festival will honor Redford with tributes and retrospective screenings. Sundance is set to relocate to Boulder, Colorado, next January.

Manchester City’s players will refund ticket costs for fans who traveled to Norway for the team’s shocking 3-1 loss to tiny Bodø/Glimt in the Champions League. City striker Erling Haaland apologized immediately after Tuesday’s game for City’s performance, saying it was “embarrassing.” Haaland is in a captains’ group also containing Bernardo Silva, Ruben Dias and Rodri, and they say in a joint statement that the players will reimburse the 374 supporters who made the long journey to Bodø, which is located north of the Arctic Circle. The statement says "Covering the cost of these tickets for the fans who traveled to Bodo is the least we can do.”

There's a lot more to The New York Times than its news stories, and that's by design. The success of ancillary products on its website — Games, the Wirecutter product recommendations, mounds of recipes in cooking and podcasts — have fueled the news company's success over the past decade. Digital subscriptions keep rising from people who can't kick their Wordle habits. It has led The Times to more than double its staff of journalists over the past decade, particularly remarkable at a time of rapid contraction in the news industry. Wednesday's a big day at The Times' Games site, as it introduces its first competition designed for two players.

Meteorologists warn that a stretched polar vortex could bring severe winter weather to much of the United States. This week, warm Arctic waters and cold continental land are combining to send subzero temperatures, heavy snow, and ice across the eastern two-thirds of the country. The frigid conditions are expected to persist through January and into early February. Experts say the atmospheric pattern is set, with the potential for crippling ice and snow. The National Weather Service cautions about power outages and treacherous travel conditions. The Midwest and North could see temperatures as low as 30 degrees below zero.