NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-12-2026 8AM EST

Episode Date: January 12, 2026

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Corva Coleman. Federal Reserve Board Chair Jerome Powell says the Justice Department sent the nation-central bank of subpoena last Friday. It's over the Fed's building renovations of its offices in Washington. Powell said last night the Justice Department also threatened a criminal indictment. He released a video statement saying these are all pretext to force the Fed to cave to President Trump's views on interest rates. The threat of criminal charges is a consequence of the Federal Reserve setting interest rates. based on our best assessment of what will serve the public, rather than following the preferences of the president.

This is about whether the Fed will be able to continue to set interest rates based on evidence and economic conditions, or whether instead monetary policy will be directed by political pressure or intimidation. Powell says he will continue to do his job. President Trump says Iran is asked for a meeting with officials from his administration. This comes as anti-government protests grow in Iran, NPR's deepest shibiram has more. Traveling on Air Force One back to Washington,

Trump said Iranian leaders called Saturday to negotiate and said a meeting would be set up, though he didn't specify when that would take place. Trump added that the U.S. might still take action on Iran before a meeting takes place. The president also didn't specify what kind of action he would take on Iran, but says the military is looking into options and he's getting hourly reports on the protests.

In recent weeks, protests have estes. escalated in Iran with reports of hundreds of protesters dead and internet blackouts. On that, Trump says he's considering calling Elon Musk to assist in providing internet connectivity in Iran. Deepa Shiverram, NPR News, traveling with the president. A suspect is charged with arson in connection to a fire that seriously damaged the only synagogue in Jackson, Mississippi. Beth Israel congregation has a long history in the state. The Ku Klux Klan fire bombed it in the 1960s. Mississippi Public Broadcasting's Shamira Muhammad reports it has been targeted again. The fire originated in the synagogue's library Saturday, according to Charles Felton,

the chief of fire investigation with the Jackson Fire Department. They did not see any competent heat sources other than human involvement. At that time, they determined that this fire was arson. Felton says a suspect has been arrested and charged. Local authorities and the FBI are investigating the potential of this being a hate crime. Aiton Weiss is Israeli Consul General of the southeastern United States. We live in the 21st century, and there's no room for anti-Semitism or hate crimes against anyone. Zach Schimper, president of the Beth Israel congregation, says his community is devastated, but ready to rebuild. No injuries occurred in relation to the fire. For NPR news,

I'm Shamir Mohammed in Jackson, Mississippi. On Wall Street in pre-market trading, stock futures aren't trading lower. This is NPR. The Trump administration says it will surge more federal agents to Minnesota this week to deal with immigration issues. There are more than 2,000 federal agents already there. This comes after an ICE agent shot and killed a woman last week in Minneapolis. Many residents have told NPR they've seen ICE agents going door to door in Minneapolis. Pope Leo has had a surprise meeting with Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Karina Machado today

at the Vatican. President Trump has suggested Machado might meet him this week in Washington. Winemakers who sell their products in the U.S. are working with new federal guidelines and see an occasional glass of wine as socially positive. NPR's Luis Skiyavoni reports on one wine producer from Argentina. Laura Catena's top-rated mallbacks from Mendoza are a fixture in the wine markets of 65 countries. She says previous U.S. dietary policies warning off alcohol content, no doubt influenced an overall softening of the entire wine and spirits market, and the new guideline posture is good news. What Dr. Oz said about, you know, alcohol being a social lubricant, and that we should drink it with caution, I think that that's a very adequate statement. Like other winemakers,

she is now added low and no alcohol products. Unlike most other winemakers, is an experienced emergency room physician. She hopes there'll be more science on the subject and encourages all consumers to talk to their doctors. Louise Skiyvoni, NPR News. And I'm Corva Coleman, NPR News, from Washington. Listen to this podcast, sponsor-free on Amazon Music with a prime membership or any podcast app

by subscribing to NPR NewsNow Plus at plus.npr.org. That's plus.npr.org. Thank you.