NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-07-2026 2PM EST

Episode Date: January 7, 2026

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Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. Immigration and Customs Enforcement say an agent has killed a female protester who allegedly was trying to run over ICE officers with a vehicle during an immigration operation in South Minneapolis. The statement describes the suspect as one of multiple, quote, rioters who were blocking ICE officers. Minneapolis, Mayor Jacob Fry, a Democrat condemned today's lethal confrontation involving federal agents. not here to cause safety in this city. What they are doing is not to provide safety in America. What they are doing is causing chaos and distrust. The Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul been on edge since before the Department of Homeland Security announced it had launched an operation expected to include as many as 2,000 ICE agents. However, the Trump administration argues its

enforcement of immigration laws has made America streets safer. The White House has not ruled out military options for the U.S. to take over Greenland. Press Secretary Caroline Levitt says all options are on the table, but the president's first option is diplomacy. Here's NPR's Deepa Shivaram. President Trump has repeatedly said the U.S. should acquire Greenland territory that's controlled by Denmark. Press Secretary Caroline Levitt says the president isn't ruling out any options for how the U.S. could take over the land. The president has been very open and clear with all of you and with the world that he views it in the best interests of the United States to deter Russian and Chinese aggression in the

Arctic region. Leavitt says U.S. ownership of Greenland would allow for more control in the Arctic region, but Denmark has repeatedly insisted that Greenland is not for sale, and its prime minister says any military force to take the land would effectively dissolve NATO. That sent PRC Peshivaram. Nick Reiner, the 32-year-old charge with killing his parents, fame director Rob Reiner and wife, Michelle Singer-Riner, will have to find a new lawyer.

At an arraignment today in Los Angeles, Reiner's attorney announced he had withdrawn from the case. Steve Utterman, with details. When court convened Alan Jackson, who's been representing Nick Reiner, Jackson being a very high-profile attorney, told the court he is withdrawing from the case. He did not give any explanation.

but Dill did tell the court he had no choice. I have to say this was a surprise. No one expected this. A public defender was then appointed to represent Nick Reiner. She briefly spoke with her client, then asked the court for another delay in the arraignment, so no plea was taken. Nick Reiner is next to in court for arraignment and entering a plea on February 23rd. For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman at the county courthouse in Los Angeles. From Washington, this is NPR News. This week's international gathering on Ukraine turns into bilateral U.S. Ukraine talks today in Paris. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley has reaction from Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky's new chief of staff.

Zelensky's new right-hand man, Mikhailo Budanov, said the results of U.S. Ukrainian talks are there, even if they're not always made public. From Paris, President Trump's special envoy, Steve Whitkov, said progress is. being made on several fronts. We think we're largely finished with security protocols, which are important so that the people of Ukraine know that when this ends, it ends forever. The Kremlin has yet to officially comment on the American-Ukrainian peace plan

or on the security project of the coalition. NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reporting, airlines could slash their climate heating emissions through more efficient operations, according to a new study. NPR's Joel Rose reports researchers, in Europe published their analysis today. Researchers say carbon emissions from aviation could be cut in half without reducing the number of passenger trips, by getting rid of premium seats, making sure flights are full, and using the most efficient planes. That's according to an analysis

by researchers in Sweden and the UK, published in the journal Nature, Communications, Earth, and environment. They examined flights between 26,000 pairs of cities and found enormous variation in efficiency on different routes, with U.S. flights tending to be more polluted. than the global average. An industry trade group says airlines are already trying to reduce their fuel burn and fill each plane, but notes that there's a huge backlog for the most efficient jets. Joel Rose, NPR News, Washington. It's NPR.