NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-26-2026 12PM EST

Episode Date: January 26, 2026

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NPR's podcast, Trump's Terms, is your source for same-day updates on big news about the Trump administration. Short, focused episodes, one topic at a time, about five minutes or so. We carry out reporting from across all of NPR's coverage, so you are always getting the biggest, most urgent stories. Listen to Trump's terms on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. A federal judge in Minnesota is hearing arguments today. on whether to pause the Trump administration's immigration crackdown in the state. Minneapolis and St. Paul, along with state officials, are suing the Department of Homeland Security

in hopes of halting enforcement operations. NPR's Jasmine Guards reports tensions remain high following the death of Alex Preti, a U.S. citizen who was shot and killed by an ICE agent on Saturday. Over the weekend, the Trump administration tried to paint Prattie, who is a U.S. citizen as a domestic terrorist. Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino said Prattie had a gun and was intent on massacring law enforcement. But multiple videos show Prattie holding a phone in his hand. At least six masked federal officers tackle him, beat him, and pin him face down on the ground. Then one agent appears to pull a gun from Prattie's waistband before agents shoot him multiple times. City officials say Prattie had a lawful permit to carry.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says DHS has blocked its investigators. A federal judge has ruled that Homeland Security cannot destroy or alter evidence related to Preddy's death. Jasmine Garst, NPR News, Minneapolis. More than a dozen states are digging out after a powerful winter storm swept across the country this weekend, bringing heavy snow, sleet, and ice. Officials say several deaths have been blamed on the storm. NPR's Joel Rose says widespread power outages are being reported in the south, where a thick layer of ice knocked down.

trees and power lines. In some places the storm was all snow and others. It turned into sleet and freezing rain. In much of the south, it left a coating of ice on roads and trees that made roads dangerous, if not totally impassable. It also brought down trees and branches and power lines that left hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses without power across Tennessee, Louisiana, and Mississippi. That's NPR's Joel Rose reporting. The United Kingdom has signed a clean energy security pact with several European countries. NPR's Lauren Frire reports Europe has moved away from dependence on Russian gas since the invasion of Ukraine. This pact signed in Germany will create a new fleet of offshore wind projects in the North Sea,

adding 100 gigawatts of clean energy. The Ukraine war sent energy prices up, and as Europe wins itself off Russian gas, it's been buying more from the U.S. But with transatlantic ties now fraying, some believe that could be risky as well. In a joint op-ed with the European Union's energy commissioner, UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband decries what he calls the rollercoaster of international fossil fuel markets and rights. And writes that renewables are the quote, only route to security and prosperity. Lauren Freyer, NPR News, London. This is NPR News.

The American Academy of Pediatrics is out with its updated. recommendations for vaccinating kids against infectious diseases. This comes after the Trump administration made changes to those recommendations. NPR's Rob Stein reports. The American Academy of Pediatrics is still recommending all children routinely get immunized against 18 diseases. In the past, the Academy partnered with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to make immunization recommendations for children. But the CDC recently dropped long-standing recommendations for routine childhood immunization for seven diseases.

That includes RSV, hepatitis, meningitis, and the flu. The CDC now says parents should talk to a health care professional about whether their kids need these immunizations. The pediatric academy's recommendation to continue routine immunization for these diseases is endorsed by 12 other medical groups. Rob Stein in PR News. About 15,000 nurses in New York City remain on strike across several hospital systems. Their union says some employers have agreed to preserve existing health care benefits,

but talks continue as nurses push for better pay and improved workplace safety. Meanwhile, more than 30,000 nurses and other health care professionals at Kaiser Permanente in California and Hawaii are expected to go on strike today. Major sticking points in talks include pay and staffing levels. On Wall Street, the Dow was up 134 points, the S&P up 37. This is NPR News.