NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-07-2026 7PM EST

Episode Date: January 8, 2026

NPR News: 01-07-2026 7PM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

This message comes from Databricks, the data and AI company. Are your AI agents working? Most aren't reliable for business. You need AI that's accurate. Agent Bricks, AI agents grounded in your data and built for your goals. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. In Minneapolis today, an immigration officer shot and killed a woman while ICE was conducting what it calls targeted operations.

Homeland Security Secretary Christy Noam says, the agent feared for his life and fired in self-defense. ICE agents repeatedly ordered her to get out of the car and to stop instructing, obstructing law enforcement, but she refused to obey their commands. She then proceeded to weaponize her vehicle and attempted to run a law enforcement officer over. Local officials and bystanders contradict Noam's account.

Matt Seppick from Minnesota Public Radio has more on the bystander footage. Federal agents are heard telling the driver, ma'am, get out of the car. The footage taken by a witness. Witness shows one federal officer walk around the right side of the car and around the front. Moments later, two other agents walk up to the driver's side. One tries to open the door. At this point, the driver begins to reverse on the icy street. As the officer hangs on the door, the driver begins to drive away from the scene. And then an officer in front of the SUV appears to fire into the car three times. Minnesota Public Radio's Matt Sepik reporting.

The Trump administration wants Venezuelan migrants to go back home after U.S. forces seized President Nicolas Maduro over the weekend, but for many, returning is dangerous. NPR's Sergio Martinez Beltran reports. Luis Falcon has been living in the U.S. since 2017 after fleeing persecution for protesting Nicolas Maduro's regime in Venezuela. He's happy to see the toppling of the autocrat, but says it's still dangerous for him to go back, despite the U.S. government saying it is now safe. Putting a foot back in Venezuela means I will be taken to jail, tortured, and potentially killed. Falcone says. The U.S. has advised U.S. citizens not to travel to Venezuela due to severe risk of wrongful detention and torture. Over a dozen journalists have been detained since Monday, and armed groups are already cracking down on those who support Maduro's ouster. Sergio Martinez Beltran, NPR News, Austin.

The legal fight over whether plea deals should be given to three men charged in the 9-11. terror attacks may go to the U.S. Supreme Court, as NPR's Sasha Pfeiffer reports. The three men, including alleged ringleader Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, agreed to plea deals last summer, but former Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin retracted those agreements. The defendants appealed, arguing Austin lacked the authority to do that. They've been fighting to reinstate their plea deals ever since. The accused terrorists hit a setback this week. Because the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has declined to hear their case. The men now have have two choices, appeal to the country's highest court or continue toward a death penalty

trial. The plea deals would have let them plead guilty in return for up to life in prison. They'll now consult with their lawyers about next steps. Sasha Fiver, NPR News. The Dow dropped nearly 1% today from its record set the day before. This is NPR News from Washington. The Trump administration is cutting $160 million in transportation funds for California. Transportation officials say it's because the state delayed revoking 17,000 commercial driver's licenses for immigrants. The state notified those drivers in the fall that they would lose their licenses after a federal audit found problems. But last week, California said it would delay those revocations until March after immigrant groups sued. In Juneau, Alaska, record-breaking snowfall has collapsed roofs and led local leaders to declare an emergency.

That's as heavy rain is predicted to move in this weekend. From Member Station KTOO, Alex Solomon reports. Juno City and tribal governments issued the disaster declaration Tuesday, requesting help from the state to clear more than four feet of snow that started falling just after Christmas. The city's emergency programs manager, Ryan O'Shaughnessy, says one of his main concerns is that the snow could collapse the roofs of public buildings, like schools, water treatment plants, and the hospital.

In many cases, we are approaching the design snowload of those facilities. Some roofs across town have already caved in, and several boats have sunk in Juno's harbors. Ahead of expected heavy rain, some streets are already flooding as temperatures warm and snow and ice clog storm drains. For NPR News, I'm Alex Solomon in Juneau. The Pittsburgh Post Gazette is shutting down in May after its owners cited financial losses.

Block communications made the announcement today. The move comes after the company lost a legal battle against the union that represents journalists at the paper. The Post Gazette traces its roots back to 17. I'm Rylan Barton. You're listening to NPR News from Washington.