NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-06-2026 11AM EST

Episode Date: January 6, 2026

NPR News: 01-06-2026 11AM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Live from NPR News in Washington, on Corva Coleman, President Trump has been speaking with Republican House members at the Kennedy Center in Washington. The meeting was intended to discuss strategy for the upcoming midterm elections. Republicans have a very thin majority in the House, and it's gotten narrower. During his opening remarks today, President Trump offered condolences for the death of California Republican Congressman Doug LaMalfa. I was really saddened by his passing and was thinking about not even doing the speech in his speech. honor, but then I decided that I have to do it in his honor. I'll do it in his honor because he would have wanted it that way. He would have wanted it that way. A cause of death for Lamalfi has not been disclosed. Trump also praised the U.S. military raid in Venezuela. U.S. troops took

deposed Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife to New York City. They've now been formally charged with drug trafficking and other criminal counts. Both have pleaded not guilty. Russian President Vladimir Putin has yet to weigh in on the Trump administration's actions in Venezuela, a nominal ally that has not stopped some Russians from drawing comparisons with the Kremlin's own military operation in Ukraine. And P.R. Charles Mainz reports from Moscow. From hardened nationalists to measured political analysts, a common Russian reaction to the U.S.'s arrest of Venezuelan strongman Nicholas Maduro has been, why was Moscow unable to do something similar in Ukraine? President Trump says the U.S. mission in Venezuela lasted just minutes.

The Kremlin's special military operation in Ukraine is entering its fourth year with no end in sight. While Russia's foreign ministry is called for Maduro's release, members of Russia's Security Council argue the U.S. actions in Venezuela also have an upside for Russia. Washington, they say, no longer has a right to criticize Moscow's military campaign or demands for a Russian sphere of influence over the former Soviet Empire. Charles Mainz, NPR News, Moscow. After years of delays, the Palestinian territory of the West Bank is going to get 4G cell service. NPR's Emily Fang reports that Gaza, much of it lying in ruins, is not getting an upgrade.

If you're in the U.S., you're probably using 5G data networks, the current industry standard. But in the West Bank, only 3G is widely available, a data bandwidth that is two generations older. Discussions in 2022 to upgrade those 3G networks needed Israel sign off, and getting that approval stalled during the political fallout after the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2003, followed by Israel's war in Gaza. But this week, Israeli media said the country's communication ministry had approved the upgrade. Still, installation of 4G infrastructure will take months. In Gaza, however, telephone signal and data services are still patchy, and Israel has largely permitted only 2G service, an even slower and older standard. Emily Fang, NPR News, Tel Aviv.

And you're listening to NPR News from Washington. Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly says he will continue to speak out against actions of President Trump and his administration. Yesterday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegeseth moved to reduce Kelly's rank as a retired Navy captain and his retirement pay. He cited Kelly's appearance and making statements that he considers seditious. Kelly was in a video message telling U.S. troops not to follow illegal orders. Kelly has responded. This is the way they're going to deal with me, and it sends a chilling effect to service members,

retired service members, especially across the country, but anybody who served in the military, and any U.S. citizen, that if you speak out against this president, they're going to come after you. He spoke to NPR's Morning Edition. The operator of a Philadelphia nursing home and utility are facing allegations of negligence that follows a deadly explosion at the home two weeks.

weeks ago. And bears Giles Snyder reports on the lawsuit. The lawsuit has been filed in Philadelphia Common Pleas courts on behalf of four survivors of the explosion, two workers at the home, a resident, and a contractor. The lawsuit claims that a suspected gas leak had been festering for days and that the defendants were aware of it, but failed to evacuate the building and fix it. Authorities have said a utility crew was responding to reports of a gas odor when the explosion happened. The blast and partial collapse of the building killed a resident and a nursing home worker and injured 20 other people. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating. Jail Snyder, NPR News. And I'm Corva Coleman, NPR News from Washington.