Morning Edition

A profile photo of Cathy Wurzer

Morning Edition, with Cathy Wurzer in St. Paul and NPR hosts in Washington and Los Angeles, brings you all the news from overnight and the information you need to start your day. Listen from 4 to 9 a.m. every weekday.

Morning Announcements | Weather chats with Mark Seeley | Parting Thoughts

How to keep kids in school safe from COVID-19
Children’s hospitals are sounding the alarm over the growing impact of COVID-19 on pediatric healthcare. Dr. Marc Gorelick of Children’s Minnesota told host Cathy Wurzer that schools need to adopt masking, social distancing and vaccination policies to keep kids safe.
Malcolm next? GOP senators threaten another commissioner’s job
Republicans in the Minnesota Senate are taking aim at another commissioner in the Cabinet of DFL Gov. Tim Walz: Department of Health Commissioner Jan Malcolm. They’ve linked it to what they refer to as medical freedom. 
Research: Black women at higher risk for preterm births during heat waves than white women
University of Minnesota researchers found that college-educated Black women appeared more susceptible to health risks after heat wave exposure. They were 1.27 times more likely to experience premature labor and birth than white women without a college education. 
As U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan nears end, Minnesotans weigh in on events in Kabul
The pullout of U.S. troops from Afghanistan is now into its final hours. And among Minnesotans at the State Fair over the weekend, many of those willing to talk about the developments in Kabul expressed dismay over the situation.
Fading beacon: Why America is losing international students
Colleges and universities in the United States attract more than a million international students a year. Higher education is one of America’s top service exports, generating $42 billion in revenue. But the money spigot is closing. The pandemic, visa restrictions, rising tuition and a perception of poor safety in America have driven new international student enrollment down by a jaw-dropping 72 percent.
Hospitals hit with COVID spike just as staff and beds grow scarce
Coinciding with a spike in COVID-19 cases due to the delta variant, Minnesota hospitals are seeing the number of beds used by patients tick up. Another problem: not enough health care workers on hand.
Climatologist: Fast rain may cause more problems than help
It may be pouring rain in parts of central Minnesota and the southern part of the state. But we may be getting too much too fast, and it might not be enough to help us get out of the drought.
More rain is on the way — but it might not break the drought
The drought in Minnesota only got worse last week, but more rain is on the way. Host Cathy Wurzer asked a climatologist what it will take for the state to pull out of this severe drought.
A few changes, a bit of familiarity: Minnesota State Fair returns
Scoping out the fair’s first morning in two years, MPR News reporter Tim Nelson writes that diehard fans walking onto the fairgrounds may feel like someone rearranged the furniture in their home. Here’s what he found.