MPR News

. A man wearing a suit stands in a courtroom

Ex-cop Noor set for June release after resentence in Ruszczyk killing

A Hennepin County judge on Thursday gave ex-Minneapolis police officer Mohamed Noor nearly five years in prison, the maximum for second-degree manslaughter, after the Minnesota Supreme Court last month overturned his murder conviction.

Two men speak in front of a map.

Federal plan to study environmental impacts of mining near BWCA draws praise, scorn

Opponents of copper-nickel mining near the Boundary Waters are cheering a decision from the Biden administration that could lead to a 20-year mining moratorium in the region. But supporters of the proposed Twin Metals mine near Ely say it threatens a chance to cash in on a rich treasure trove of valuable metals.

A man in uniform salutes.

How one man’s medical crisis collided with Minnesota’s hospital bed crunch

Bob Cameron had suffered through, and survived, a gastrointestinal bleed last year. But when he was admitted to the hospital earlier this month for the same issue, his family says a statewide hospital bed shortage stood in the way of Cameron's recovery.

Paul Huttner on WCCO-TV during the 1991 Halloween Mega Storm

Found: Lost Halloween Megastorm tapes from 1991

MPR News meteorologist Paul Huttner came across a box of videotapes of his live broadcast updates on WCCO-TV the morning of Nov. 1, 1991, during the height of the Halloween Blizzard. Take a look.

COVID-19-vaccines-clinics

FDA OKs mixing COVID vaccines; backs Moderna, J and J boosters

U.S. regulators are extending COVID-19 boosters to Americans who got the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine. They also said Wednesday anyone eligible for an extra dose can get a brand different from the one they received initially.

A job seeker fills out an application

Minnesota’s unemployment rate falls to 3.7 percent; wages rising

Minnesota has now gained back about 70 percent of the more than 416,000 jobs lost since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Burnout in healthcare

COVID-19 in MN: Worst of summer-fall surge may be over

The newest numbers offer fresh evidence that case counts, hospitalizations and community spread are ebbing, although deaths remain relatively high. Officials also said Wednesday they’re getting ready to give COVID-19 shots to kids ages 5 to 11.

Mist and fog over some rocks.

Art Hounds: A dose of natural beauty, a pinch of Halloween horror

Wildlife photographer Dudley Edmondson captures the beauty of northern Minnesota’s waters. Art Hounds also recommend two one-act shows running through Halloween which make audiences question reality.

Hands wearing blue gloves holds a water sample in small plastic bottle.

What the EPA's plan to regulate 'forever chemicals' means for Minnesota

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has an ambitious strategy to deal with PFAS — human-made “forever chemicals” that have polluted public drinking water supplies and accumulated in fish and wildlife. The plan is expected to bolster efforts already underway in Minnesota to deal with the contaminants.

In this photo illustration, a container of Johnson's baby powder sits on a table in 2019. Johnson & Johnson announced a voluntary recall of 33,000 bottles of the baby powder after federal regulators found trace amounts of asbestos in the product.

J&J is using a bankruptcy maneuver to block lawsuits over baby powder cancer claims

Johnson & Johnson spun off liabilities — including roughly 38,000 lawsuits — linked to claims of asbestos contamination in its baby powder to a new firm, which then declared bankruptcy.

headshots of six Minneapolis mayoral candidates

Voter guide: Minneapolis mayoral candidates on how they’d address the city’s top issues

We asked the aspiring mayors how they’d address housing, public safety, climate change and the local economy — plus their opinions on the three questions on the ballot this fall.

Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced plans to launch his own social networking platform called TRUTH Social, which is expected to begin its beta launch for "invited guests" next month.

What we know so far about Trump's planned social media platform

Former President Donald Trump has announced his intent to launch a long-anticipated social platform of his own, claiming to create a space to "stand up to the tyranny of Big Tech."

basketball player Anthony Edwards smiles on the court

Edwards energizes Wolves in opening 124-106 win over Rockets

The Minnesota Timberwolves cruised to a 124-106 victory over the Houston Rockets to start the season. Anthony Edwards energized the first full-size home crowd of his career with 29 points in 31 minutes for Minnesota.

comparing vaccinated and unvaccinated COVID death rates

What to know about your risk of a serious or fatal breakthrough COVID infection

With high-profile stories of vaccinated people dying from COVID, how worried should you be about getting a serious breakthrough case? Here's how the data shake out.

A salmonella outbreak impacting more than 30 states and sickening over 600 people in the U.S. is being linked to onions imported from Chihuahua, Mexico.

CDC says toss onions if you don't know where they came from to avoid salmonella

A salmonella outbreak has affected more than 30 states. Federal health officials link it to onions grown in Chihuahua, Mexico, and distributed by ProSource Inc.

Minnesota colleges investigate alleged sex competition

The College of St. Benedict and St. John’s University are investigating allegations that some male students started a competition this fall to see who could have more sexual encounters with female students.

The Schuylkill River floods Philadelphia in the aftermath of Hurricane Ida in September. The extreme rain caught many by surprise, trapping people in basements and cars and killing dozens.

Climate change is bad for your health. And plans to boost economies may make it worse

A “Lancet” medical journal report finds that human-caused climate change is worsening human health in just about every measurable way. It calls for more urgent action from world leaders.

A girl looks out of her bedroom window as the sun is setting.

Pediatricians say the mental health crisis among kids has become a national emergency

Three leading pediatric health organizations are sounding the alarm about "soaring rates" of depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts among children and adolescents.

A photo of a cook near fresh ingredients in a kitchen.

Appetites: Sara Farhat's recipe for date anise bars embraces traditional Lebanese flavors and ingredients

Lebanese-American cook and nutritionist Sara Farhat spent more than three years adapting her favorite family recipes from her childhood in Lebanon to create her first cookbook that she self-published and released last month.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., led opposition among Republicans to a voting rights bill that centrist Democrat Joe Manchin of West Virginia hoped to corrall GOP votes for.

Democrats' biggest push for voting rights fails with no Republicans on board

The Freedom to Vote Act was a unified Democratic effort led in part by West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin, who was trying to get Republican support. Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell vocally opposed it.