MPR News

A man speaks behind a microphone.

Biden pushes shots, not more restrictions as variant spreads

President Joe Biden will urge Americans to get vaccinated and to receive a booster shot as he seeks to quell concerns Monday over the new COVID-19 variant omicron, but won't immediately push for more restrictions to stop its spread, his chief medical adviser said.

A vigil and march in honor of Daunte Wright

Jury selection begins soon in ex-cop Potter's trial. Here are the charges she faces

Jury selection for Kimberly Potter's trial begins Tuesday. When prosecutors begin presenting their case next week, they'll argue that Potter, who quit the Brooklyn Center police force two days after the shooting, committed first- and second-degree manslaughter when she killed 20-year-old Daunte Wright during an April 11 traffic stop.

Obit Lee Elder Golf

Lee Elder, 1st Black golfer to play Masters, dies at age 87

Golf pioneer Lee Elder has died at the age of 87. Elder broke down racial barriers as the first Black golfer to play in the Masters, and he paved the way for Tiger Woods and others to follow.

Our annual Hanukkah Lights celebrates stories of the season.

Hanukkah Lights 2021: Revisiting stories of the season

For the 31st anniversary of “Hanukkah Lights,” Susan Stamberg and Murray Horwitz revisit old favorites.

Joe Biden

Biden scheduled to tout infrastructure plan in Rosemount

President Joe Biden is slated to visit Dakota County Technical College in Rosemount this week to tout his $1 trillion infrastructure plan.

A portrait of a man outdoors wearing a baseball cap.

Superior National Forest hires first full-time tribal liaison

The Superior National Forest has hired its first full-time tribal liaison. Juan Martinez will help the Forest Service consult with area Ojibwe bands on projects that impact them within the forest boundaries.

Mounds View police shoot suspect after investigating armed robbery

Body camera video recorded at least some of the incident, and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating.

Barn owl nest documented in Wisconsin for 1st time in 20 years

In a rare sighting, the first barn owl nest was documented in the state of Wisconsin in more than two decades after a La Crosse resident spotted an owlet in their backyard, according to the Department of Natural Resources.

A nurse prepared a COVID-19 vaccine dose.

Merriam-Webster chooses vaccine as the 2021 word of the year

The selection follows "vax" as word of the year from the folks who publish the Oxford English Dictionary. And it comes after Merriam-Webster chose "pandemic" as tops in lookups last year on its online site.

Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins

Source: Twins, Buxton agree on 7-year, $100M contract

The Minnesota Twins and center fielder Byron Buxton agreed to a seven-year, $100 million contract Sunday, according to a person with knowledge of the deal.

Man airlifted to hospital after gunfire following police pursuit in Forest Lake

Police in Forest Lake, Minn., say a man was airlifted to a hospital Sunday afternoon after shots were fired following a police pursuit.

Phil Saviano

Phil Saviano, key clergy sex abuse whistleblower, dies at age 69

Phil Saviano, a clergy sex abuse survivor and whistleblower who played a pivotal role in exposing decades of predatory assaults by Roman Catholic priests in the United States, has died. “My gift to the world was not being afraid to speak out,” he said earlier this month.

A fire tower

Photos: Handful of fire towers still stand sentinel over Minnesota bogs and forests

Two of the top three deadliest fires in U.S. history were in Minnesota. In response to the fires, the Minnesota forestry service was established in the early 1900s, creating the system of fire towers.

Fashion designer Virgil Abloh

Fashion designer Virgil Abloh dies of cancer at 41

Virgil Abloh, a leading designer whose groundbreaking fusions of streetwear and high couture made him one of the most celebrated tastemakers in fashion and beyond, has died of cancer. He was 41.

Vezna Hang and his son. Hang fell so ill with COVID-19 before being vaccinated that he needed a double lung transplant. He now encourages other people to get the shot.

Once rare, lung transplants for COVID-19 patients are rising quickly

About one in 10 lung transplants in the United States now go to COVID-19 patients. The trend is raising questions about the ethics of allocating a scarce resource to people who have chosen not to be vaccinated against the coronavirus.

On November 29, the World Health Organization will convene a virtual summit for its member states to consider the handling of future outbreaks. Pictured above: WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

The WHO is seeking a new treaty on handling future pandemics. It could be a hard sell

At a special session this week, the World Health Organization hopes to start sketching out a new global treaty covering pandemics. "We don't have rules of the game," says WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

Two people carry an animal kennel

Reviving Ojibwe spiritual traditions, one pet at a time

Several members of the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe in northern Minnesota are working to address animal neglect on their tribal lands — and in doing so bringing their community closer to its spiritual roots.

Gophers claim Paul Bunyan's Axe

Minnesota chops down No. 18 Wisconsin to take back Paul Bunyan's Axe

Tanner Morgan overcame an interception that was returned for a first-half touchdown, leading Minnesota on three scoring drives after halftime to surge past No. 18 Wisconsin 23-13 and reclaim Paul Bunyan's Axe.

Floodwaters inundate homes along a road

Another round of flood watches issued in Pacific Northwest

Residents in Washington state are preparing for possible flooding as “atmospheric rivers” once again threaten parts of the Northwest, which saw heavy damage from extreme weather earlier this month.

The sign on the front of a Best Buy store

Police investigating mass thefts at two Best Buy stores in Twin Cities suburbs

Authorities in two Twin Cities suburbs are investigating incidents in which groups of people entered Best Buy stores on Friday night and stole merchandise.