Stories from February 15, 2021

Pelosi says independent commission will examine Capitol riot
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says Congress will establish an independent, Sept. 11-style commission to look into the deadly insurrection that took place at the U.S. Capitol. In a letter to Democratic colleagues, Pelosi said the House will also put forth supplemental spending to boost security at the Capitol.
After weeks of being offline, Parler finds a new web host
The conservative social network is relaunching under new leadership and on new technology, a month after being de-platformed. It says it will not rely on Big Tech for its operations.
LAPD, police union outraged by report of Floyd 'Valentine'
The Los Angeles Police Department has launched an internal investigation after an officer reported that a photo of George Floyd with the words "You take my breath away" in a Valentine-like format was circulated among officers.
Trump looks to reassert himself after impeachment acquittal
Now that he's been acquitted in his second Senate impeachment trial, Donald Trump is preparing for the next phase of his post-presidency life. Trump is feeling emboldened by the trial's outcome and is expected to reemerge from a self-imposed hibernation. And he's eyeing ways to reassert his power.
COVID-19 shots might be tweaked if variants get worse
The makers of COVID-19 vaccines are figuring out how to tweak their recipes just in case the shots need an update against worrisome virus mutations. But changing the recipe is just one step. Harder is deciding if the coronavirus has mutated enough to update vaccines — and if so, how.
Moment of silence held for clinic shooting victims
A moment of silence was held on Tuesday to mark one week since Gregory Ulrich walked into a health clinic in Buffalo and opened fire, killing one staff member and injuring four others.
Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala makes history as WTO's first African and female leader
As she takes the helm of the World Trade Organization, the former Nigerian finance minister faces challenges from the COVID-19 response to navigating trade frictions between the U.S. and China.
Arctic cold Monday into Tuesday, then temps slowly recover
When will it get warmer? That won’t happen Monday, but there are some milder temps in the forecast later this week and into the weekend. We have the details, plus a look at snow and cold in Texas.
First-generation college graduates navigate mountain of student loan debt
A growing legion of people in Minnesota and across the nation are hoping President Joe Biden will take steps to ease what’s become a massive student debt problem. Supporters say that debt, more than $1.6 trillion currently, is holding back the American economy, keeping people from buying homes, getting married and otherwise taking their next steps in life — and affecting Black and brown borrowers in unequal ways.
Millions without power in Texas as snowstorm slams U.S.
A frigid blast of winter weather across the U.S. plunged Texas into an unusually icy emergency Monday that knocked out power to more than 2 million people, closed dangerously snowy and slick highways and put the delivery of new COVID-19 vaccine shipments on hold.
Police were called to a report of a shooting near Roosevelt High School shortly after 10:30 p.m. Sunday. Officers arrived to find a vehicle parked on a sidewalk, with one male and one female inside who had been shot and were deceased. Police said the victims appeared to be adults.
Feb. 15 update on COVID-19 in MN: Key metrics continue to improve; 12% have received 1 vaccine dose
The Minnesota Department of Health reported two deaths Monday, the lowest since Feb. 1, and also logged 611 new confirmed cases. Meanwhile, the number of state residents who've received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine surpassed 675,000.
Hospitalization counts remain steady at late September/early October levels. The trend line for known, active caseloads remains at levels not seen since late September. This is an MPR News update for Monday, February 15, 2021. Hosted by John Wanamaker. Our theme music is by Gary Meister.
Pillagers of tropical forests can't hide behind clouds anymore
Environmental watchdogs now can detect deforestation even when it's hidden from sight by rain and clouds. They're using data from radar on a European satellite.
Minnesota playing catch-up to get seniors of color vaccinated
Minnesota is trying to bridge two issues at once — getting as many older people vaccinated as quickly as possible, while also making sure racial and ethnic communities hardest hit by the virus have access to vaccines.
Photos: Portrait project highlights community connections during the pandemic
Katie Howie has photographed more than 115 people for her project, “By a Thread: Pandemic Portraits.” She describes the project as a living history because the people she photographs also share thoughts about their lives during the pandemic. 
The First Family of Radio: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt's Historic Broadcasts
This APM Reports documentary, "The First Family of Radio: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt's Historic Broadcasts," features rarely heard archival audio and explores how the Roosevelts revolutionized political communication in America.
Support grows for Capitol riot inquiry after Trump acquittal
A day after former President Donald Trump was acquitted at his second Senate impeachment trial, bipartisan support appeared to be growing for an independent Sept. 11-style commission into the deadly insurrection that took place at the U.S. Capitol.
Myanmar rattled by army movements, apparent internet cutoff
Sightings of armored personnel carriers in Myanmar’s biggest city and an internet shutdown raised political tensions late Sunday, after vast numbers of people around the country flouted orders against demonstrations to protest the military’s seizure of power.
Arctic cold for Monday; then temps gradually rebound
Brace yourself for a very cold Monday. Temps will gradually rebound the rest of this week, and the outlook is for mild temps next weekend. We have the details.