NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-07-2026 10AM EST

Episode Date: January 7, 2026

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Corva Coleman. U.S. defense officials say that the U.S. has seized two tankerships. The Pentagon says one of them is a stateless motor tanker called the M.T. Sophia. The other is a Russian-flagged oil tanker originally called the Bella One. U.S. defense officials say that tanker has links to Venezuela. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the U.S. is still blockading Venezuelan oil worldwide. Now, Energy Secretary Chris Wright is giving more detail on how the Trump administration is going to use Venezuelan oil. We're going to let the oil flow, sell that market to the United States refineries and to around the world to bring better oil supplies.

But have those sales done by the U.S. government and deposited into accounts controlled by the U.S. government. And then from there, those funds can flow back into Venezuela to benefit the Venezuelan. Australian people. Energy Secretary Wright was speaking to a Goldman Sachs Energy Conference in Miami this morning. It's been a year since wildfires in Southern California left more than 30 people dead in and around Los Angeles and caused billions of dollars worth of damage. MPR's Liz Baker reports LA's new fire chief has announced a new independent investigation into the department's response to the blazes. The Palisades fire, which killed 12 people, started after high. winds stirred up the remains of another blaze the L.A. Fire Department believed they had extinguished

one week earlier. In fact, it was still smoldering underground. The outcome has made it incredibly clear that our mop-up and verification process needed to be stronger. We have to own that. And I do. L.A. Fire Chief Jaime Moore, who was not in charge during the fires, says his department has made changes since, including use of thermal imaging and drones. He also announced a second independent an investigation into the LAFD's response to both fires after acknowledging that the first report, which published before his tenure as chief, was heavily edited to shield department leadership from responsibility. Liz Baker and Peer News, Los Angeles. Stocks open mixed this morning as investors watch for signals on the U.S. job market. NPR Scott Horsley reports the Dow Jones

Industrial average slip nearly 130 points in early trading. The Labor Department reports today on job turnover in December. There's been relatively. little churn in the labor market in recent months, as most people who have jobs are reluctant to give them up. We'll get the government's most complete report on employment and unemployment for December later this week. The Board of Directors of Warner Brothers is once again urging shareholders to reject a hostile takeover bid from Paramount, valued at close to $78 billion. Netflix is offered $72 billion for Warner Brothers streaming and studio business. The board's recommending shareholders take that offer. Scott Horsley and Pair News, Washington.

On Wall Street, the Dow is down 140 points. It's NPR. As the Trump administration withdraws hundreds of National Guard troops across the country, it's ramping up immigration efforts in Minneapolis. The Department of Homeland Security says it sent thousands of immigration agents into Minneapolis on an operation to target illegal immigration. President Trump has been saying, without providing evidence, that Somalis and Somali Americans who run daycares are defraud. taxpayers. The man accused of killing his parents, Rob and Michelle Reiner, will appear in court

today in Los Angeles. Steve Futterman reports Nick Reiner will be arraigned. He made his first court appearance on December 17th. Today, Nick Reiner is expected to enter a plea. Reiner is charged with two counts of first-degree murder with special circumstances, a charge that carries a maximum sentence of death. The case has received enormous publicity, but defense attorney Alan Jackson has asked that the process be allowed to run its course. There are very, very complex and serious issues that are associated with this case. They need to be thoroughly but very carefully dealt with. Nick Reiner has dealt with substance issues for many years.

His attorney has not indicated whether or not he will use an insanity or diminished capacity defense. For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman in Los Angeles. Much of Europe continues to struggle with a huge winter storm. airline and train passengers are running into delays because of snow and ice. About 1,000 airline passengers were stuck overnight in Amsterdam's airport because of the weather. This is NPR.