NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-23-2026 10AM EST

Episode Date: January 23, 2026

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Live from NPR News in Washington, on Corva Coleman, millions of people across the U.S. are bracing for a major winter storm. The National Weather Service has issued winter storm warnings from New Mexico to New England. Heavy snow, ice, and freezing rain are expected as an Arctic blast moves south from Canada. NPR's Rebecca Hersher reports a polar vortex will linger after the snow stops falling. Usually, freezing cold air is trapped up in the polar regions. The jet stream keeps the cold air trapped up there. But when the jet stream gets weaker, cold air can escape south, deep into the continental U.S. That's what's expected to happen next week.

Scientists are actively trying to understand whether climate change makes such events more likely. Some studies suggest the jet stream is getting weaker as the earth warms, while others find no such relationship. What is clear is that polar vortex conditions can be deadly, especially in parts of the country that aren't accustomed to very cold weather. Rebecca Hersher, NPR News. Activists in Minnesota are calling for a state-wide walkout today. NPR's Meg Anderson reports from Minneapolis

as they're protesting the federal government's overwhelming immigration operation in the state. There's a general strike. Organizers are encouraging community members to stay home from work, to not shop or dine out. Many local businesses will be closed. And there are going to be several demonstrations. including a March and a rally in downtown Minneapolis this afternoon. It's also extremely cold here.

Afternoon temperatures will be around negative 10 degrees. But given the strong community response we've seen here so far, I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of people still show up. NPR's Meg Anderson reporting. Stocks open mixed this morning as natural gas prices backtracked from a winter spike. NPR's Scott Horsley reports the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped about 230 points in early trading. Natural gas prices soared earlier this week as forecasters predicted snow, ice, and Arctic temperatures across much of the country.

But prices have since fallen back a bit. Natural gas is used to heat nearly half the homes in the country, and it's a major fuel for electricity generation as well. Stock in Intel fell after the chipmaker issued a cautious sales forecast. Intel's enjoying strong demand for its computer chips thanks to the artificial intelligence boom, but the company says supply constraints are making it hard to keep up. Japan's central bank held interest rate steady and raised its forecast for both inflation and economic growth. Stocks in Tokyo and elsewhere in Asia were higher overnight. Scott Horsley-MPR News, Washington.

There are supposed to be meetings today in the United Arab Emirates about Russia's war in Ukraine. President Trump's envoys met late into the night yesterday with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Russian leader continues to demand that Ukraine give up a lot of territory to stop Russia's war. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. The UN Human Rights Council will hold a special meeting today on Iran. U.S.-based activists estimate more than 5,000 people have been killed in recent Iranian protests. Today, Iran also rejected President Trump's claim that he had halted 800 planned executions. Thousands of activists in the U.S. who oppose abortion will brave the cold in Washington, D.C. today.

They'll join the annual March for Life. Speakers will include Vice President Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson. The National Institutes of Health will stop funding any research that uses fetal tissue. NPR's Rob Stein explains. The NIH says research involving tissue from aborted fetuses has been declining for years, and the agency now only funds 77 projects that use fetal tissue. And the agency argues that fetal tissue is no longer needed for research because alternatives now exist. The decision, however, is being denounced by many scientists and research groups.

They say fetal tissue provides an irreplaceable resource for studying medical problems, ranging from infertility to Alzheimer's, and the decision to stop funding fetal tissue research is political, not scientific. Fetal tissue research has long been opposed by anti-abortion activists. Rob Stein and Peer News. Today is the funeral for iconic Italian fashion designer Valentino. It's being held in Rome, where his body has lain in state for two days. Valentino's designs were beloved by movie stars and American First Ladies.

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