NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-02-2026 11PM EST

Episode Date: January 3, 2026

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Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Wilman. President Trump says the U.S. is prepared to intervene if Iran kills economic protesters who have taken to the streets there this week. M.P.R. Franco Ordonez has more. President Trump vowed to step in if Iran uses lethal force on demonstrators as economic protests continue. In an early morning social media post, Trump wrote that if Iran kills peaceful protesters, then, quote, the United States of America will come to their rescue. We are locked and loaded. and ready to go. The comments mark a sharp escalation by the president toward Iran. Clashes between

police and protesters have turned deadly over the past week. Iran warned that any U.S. intervention would be crossing a red line and be met with a response. Franco, Ordonez, NPR News, Palm Beach. Lawyers for federal employees have filed a complaint against the Trump administration to restore insurance coverage of gender-affirming care. That coverage ended January 1st for people on certain government health plans. Empires, Sidney Lubkin has more. The Human Rights Campaign filed a discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

It follows an announcement that, starting in January 26, quote, chemical and surgical modification of an individual's sex traits through medical interventions would no longer be covered by federal employees' health insurance. That means neither the employee nor their covered family members on their health plans would be able to get coverage for gender affirming care. The complaint calls this discrimination on the basis of sex. The Human Rights Campaign asked to restore the health insurance coverage. Sydney Lupkin and PR News.

The FBI says it stopped a potential attack on New Year's Eve in Charlotte, North Carolina. Investigators say 18-year-old Christian Sturte event was arrested after he shared plans with an undercover FBI employee to use knives and hammers to attack people at a local fast food restaurant. Special agent in charge James Barnacle says Sturdivant was willing to sacrifice himself for the Islamic State Group. This investigation highlights the very real threat posed by people who self-radicalize online and are inspired by jihadist ideologies, espoused by foreign terrorist organizations. They seek to attack soft targets with easily accessible weapons and with little to no warning. The FBI says Sturdivant had pledged loyalty to the Islamic States.

Investigators in Switzerland say sparkling candles were likely, the cause of a deadly fire Thursday night. The blaze killed 40 people and injured 119 others when the candles caught the bar's ceiling on fire. They say they're also looking into whether soundproofing material on a ceiling met building regulations. The fire broke out as revelers were celebrating the new year. Stocks finished mixed on Wall Street on the first day of trading.

For the new year, the Dow Jones Industrial Average closed up 319 points. The NASDAQ was down six points. You're listening to NPR News. A magnitude 6.5 earthquake shook central and southern Mexico Friday. It was strong enough in Mexico City to set off seismic alarms as the country's new president was holding her first news conference. The epicenter was in the town of San Marcos, not far from the resort town of Acapulco. Tonight is the first full moon of 2026, and it comes at the moon's closest approach to Earth, which means it's what's known as a super moon.

As NPR's now Greenfield Boyce reports, the moon might look a bit bigger and brighter, but it could be hard in some places to tell with the naked eye. If you were hoping to see the peak of the quadranted meteor shower, the full moon is a bummer, as it will wash out the shooting stars. But if you like to moon gaze, you can also check out bright Jupiter, which will be right below the moon. This is the last super moon until November. But 2026 will have 13 full moons,

because the month of May will have a second full moon, a blue moon. There will also be a total lunar eclipse in March and a total solar eclipse in August. But that solar eclipse won't be visible from the United States. You'd have to go someplace like Greenland or Spain. Nell Greenfield-Boyce, NPR News. The first woman do ever ride professionally in a horse race has died. Diane Crump was 77 years old. Her daughter says she died in hospice care in Winchester, Virginia. Crump first rode professionally in 1969. The following year, she became the first female jockey at the Kentucky Derby. It then took 14 more years before another woman would ride in that same derby.

I'm Dale Wilman, NPR News.