NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-07-2026 1PM EST

Episode Date: January 7, 2026

NPR News: 01-07-2026 1PM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. U.S. officials say they have seized two oil tankers linked to Venezuela. One introduction with the UK's assistance was the Bella One. It was sailing under Russian flag and had reached the North Atlantic Ocean between Iceland and Britain. NPR's Quill Lawrence reports U.S. forces had chased that tanker for two weeks. Before the raid that removed the Venezuelan president, a U.S. military pressure campaign included boarding ships that were skirting the American blockade. of that country's oil. But one tanker, then called the Bella One, refused to halt and led the

U.S. Coast Guard on a chase thousands of miles across the Atlantic. On the way, it renamed itself and, more importantly, reflagged as a Russian ship. It may have been headed to a Russian port in the Arctic when U.S. forces boarded it. The Department of Homeland Security also announced it seized another tanker in the Caribbean, which is being taken to an American port. President Trump says the U.S. is going to take billions of dollars worth of oil from Venezuela. Quill Lawrence NPR News. The U.S. action was conducted days after it arrested the President and First Lady of Venezuela to face trial in the U.S. for drug trafficking. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Secretary of Defense Pete Hexeth say they have briefed senators on a process of stabilization, recovery,

and transition. Rubio said step one will involve quarantine for Venezuela, a process that will include selling sanction, oil, and distributing the profits. White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt at today's news. briefing? This was the sanctioned oil that was basically just sitting in barrels, sitting on ships because of the effective quarantine of the United States of America. And the interim authorities have agreed to release that oil to the United States, so it will be arriving here at home very soon. Caroline Levitt did not back down, meanwhile, from President Trump's interest in Greenland, reiterating that, quote, all options remain on the table, including diplomacy, as well as military

intervention. In other news, a woman reportedly has been shot during federal immigration enforcement Condition unknown posted online. The Department of Homeland Security alleges rioters blocked ICE officers and one person weaponized her vehicle. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has released new dietary guidelines, which is the government's official advice on what Americans should eat to promote good health. Speaking at a press conference today, Kennedy said he's upending the current nutrition guidelines, which recommend limiting meat consumption in favor of fresh fruits and vegetables, and he stressed that protein and healthy fats are essential. The most significant reset of federal nutrition policy in history.

These guidelines replace corporate-driven assumptions with common-sense goals and gold-standard scientific integrity. These new guidelines will revolutionize our nation's food culture and make America healthy again. At last check on Wall Street, the Dow is down, nearly 200 points at 49,000. 269. This is NPR News. The Labor Department says there were fewer job openings in November than the month before. NPR Scott Horsley reports that's one of several clues we'll get this week about the strength of the job market. Today's report on job turnover in November tells a familiar story. There's been relatively little churn in the labor market for months now, 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 at Warner Brothers is once again urging shareholders to reject a hostile takeover bid from Paramount valued at close to $78 billion. Netflix has offered $72 billion for Warner Brothers streaming and studio business. The board is recommending that shareholders take that offer. Crude oil prices are lower today. Scott Horsley, NPR News, Washington. Many victims from last year's wildfires in Southern California, California are still trying to rebuild.

NPR's Michael Copley reports, recovery's been hampered by fights with home insurance companies. Mark Johnson wrangled with State Farm for months after his Altadena home burned last January. He and a lot of other homeowners finally got a break just before Thanksgiving. After L.A. County started investigating how State Farm was handling claims from the Eaton and Palisades fires. Johnson says it felt like State Farm had made the process as hard as possible. So that you won't ask for much, so you'll be happy with whatever you get. State Farm said in a statement it takes every claim seriously and tries to provide customers with appropriate coverage.

Johnson has started rebuilding, but others have a long way to go, especially those whose houses survived the fires but were contaminated with toxins from the smoke. Michael Copley, NPR News. It's NPR.