NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-21-2026 1PM EST

Episode Date: January 21, 2026

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Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Rahm. President Trump spoke today to the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland. He renewed his demand that the U.S. acquire Greenland, but by negotiation, not force. NPR's Mara Liason has more. It was a super-threatening speech with a little nugget embedded in it, which was the pullback, at least for now, of the threat of using force. And I think that he did that to calm the stock markets, who are very agitated about this. He did say, I am seeking immediate negotiations to discuss the immediate acquiring of Greenland by the U.S.

So does that mean he wants to negotiate something and he won't use force, or he's just backing off for now because it got such a bad reaction? NPR's Mara Liason. During the speech, President Trump also called on the U.S. Congress to ban large investors from Biden. single-family homes. NPR Stephen Besaha reports Trump signed a limited executive order on corporation home buying yesterday. In Davos, Trump blamed rising home prices on corporations buying up houses and crowding new home buyers out of the market. But homes are built for people, not for corporations, and America will not become a nation of renters. We're not going to do that. Trump's executive order tells federal agencies that in 60 days, they must stop providing things like insurance and

approvals that support corporations buying these homes. Trump wants Congress to pass a permanent ban on those sales. He also wants Congress to pass a one-year cap on credit card interest rates. The current average is around 22 percent. Trump wants it capped at 10 percent. Stephen Besaha NPR News. The Supreme Court heard arguments this morning on whether President Trump has the authority to fire a member of the Federal Reserve Board, set up to be independent to protect it from political pressure. Trump wants to fire federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook. Palestinian health officials say three journalists were killed today in a targeted Israeli

strike in the Gaza Strip. They're among at least 11 people killed today in various attacks. NPR's Anas Baba reports. The three journalists were working with a drone camera, filming an Egyptian aid project when an Israeli military drone bombed their car. One of the journalists was a freelance photographer with the Agency France Press, who had been married only last week. A video verified by NPR shows the show the show.

shared metal shell of their vehicle after the attack, which struck three miles away from where the Israeli troops are positioned inside Gaza. Israel's military said troops had identified suspect operating, a quote drone affiliated with Hamas. In a manner that opposed a threat to their safety, the military statement provide no evidence and no further detail. It said the strike was conducted with the required chain of command, but added the incident was on the review. Anasbabo, NPR News, Gaza City. This is NPR News. in Washington. A South Korean court held today that the imposition of martial law by former President Yun Sukyal in 2024 was an act of rebellion. The ruling came as the court sentenced

Yuan's prime minister at the time to 23 years in prison for his involvement. Han Duk Su is the first UN administration official convicted of rebellion. The TV show Heated Rivalry has been a hit for HBO and now the book it's based on is seeing a sharp bump in sales. NPR's Andrew Limbong has more. The gay romance centers two hockey players who seem to find themselves facing off pretty often. When they tell you, you do commercial with me and not just alone. I don't know, like two days ago. Why? When did they tell you? No, they tell me nothing. It was my idea. The show is based on the 2019 novel by Rachel Reed. It's the second book in her game changer series. The book sold modestly when it came out. The paperback sold about 40,000

copies in all of 2025, according to Sarkana Bookscan. But in one week in January 26, the books sold nearly 23,000 copies. According to Bookscan, this is indicative of the broader rise in queer romance novels, which have tripled in sales between 2021 and 2025. Andrew Limbong and Peer News. Lindsay Halligan has left the position as U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. A federal judge had ruled she had been improperly placed in the job, which ended the attempted prosecutions of former FBI director Jim Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James. Halligan had worked as President Trump's personal lawyer and had no experience as a prosecutor. I'm Nora Rahm, NPR News.