NPR News Now - NPR News: 01-26-2026 6PM EST

Episode Date: January 26, 2026

NPR News: 01-26-2026 6PM ESTLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

This message comes from Data Bricks, 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 Rylan Barton. Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz says Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino is leaving the state. The move comes after outrage after federal agents shot and killed.

two people during President Trump's immigration crackdown in the state. Trump and Walls have been talking about what happens next. Minnesota Public Radio's Brian Baxe reports. President Trump positively appraised his call with Governor Walls. On social media, Trump wrote that the two, quote, seemed to be on a similar wavelength. The takeaway from Walls is that Trump is open to ramping down an operation that has a few thousand federal agents on the ground. It comes after the week in fatal shooting by Border Patrol agents of ICU nurse and U.S. citizen Alex Pretti, and Renee McClend Good, who was killed by an ICE agent earlier this month. A statement from the governor's office also says Trump would talk with the

Department of Homeland Security about involving state criminal investigators into the probes. Trump says top border official Tom Holman will travel to Minnesota and speak with walls. For NPR News, I'm Brian Baxed in St. Paul. The Republican chair of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, Rand Paul, is calling for immigration officials to testify. In a letter to ICE's acting director, Paul said the Department of Homeland Security has been provided an exceptional amount of funding and that Congress is obligated to make sure that funding is being used to protect the American people. At least six people were killed in a plane crash in Bangor, Maine last night. Caitlin Budian from Maine Public Radio reports. The report says

the plane crashed when it took off from Bangor International Airport and it came to rest inverted and caught fire. Airport director Jose Savedra, says snow and de-icing operations were in progress at the time of the crash. The airport remained open. There were planes landing and departing around that time. And we had crews on site responding to the ongoing storm that we had at that time. The National Transportation Safety Board is also investigating. For NPR News, I'm Caitlin Bidion.

California says it's joining the World Health Organization. This comes after the Trump administration withdrew from the W. WHO last week. NPR's Gabriela Emmanuel reports. California is joining the WHO's Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network. Group members collaborate to detect and respond quickly to infectious disease outbreaks and public health emergencies. California joins more than 300 governments, labs, and academic institutions who are part of the network. During a recent trip to the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, California Governor Gavin Newsom met with the WHO Director general to talk about the collaboration. California is the first and currently the only state to

join part of the WHO. Gabriela Emmanuel NPR News. U.S. Stock Index is ticked higher today. The S&P 500 rose half a percent. This is NPR News. Two Iranian-backed militias in the Middle East are signaling their readiness to launch new attacks. The move seems to support Iran after a U.S. aircraft carrier has reached the region. Yemen's Houthis. Rebels hinted at resuming attacks on Red Sea shipping. A militia in Iraq also issued a threat warning of total war if Iran is targeted. The United Arab Emirates, a U.S. ally in the region, says it won't allow its territory to be used for military action against Iran. French lawmakers are debating and set to vote on a ban on social media for under 15-year-olds today. NPR's Eleanor

Beardsley reports that the measure passes, France will be the second country to put such a ban in place. French President Emmanuel Macron says it's a priority of his government to protect children from excessive screen time. He didn't mince words. The emotions of our children and teenagers are not for sale or to be manipulated, said Macron, by either American platforms or Chinese algorithms. Australia banned social media for under 16s in December, a world first. The French legislation will also enforce a ban on mobile phones in high schools starting next fall. If the social media ban passes the lower house, the legislation will. then go to the Senate. French authorities say they want to move quickly. Eleanor Beardsley,

NPR News, Paris. The Wiener Mobiles are coming back to the brickyard in May. Oscar Meyer has announced its full fleet of six Wiener Mobiles will compete for the second straight year with two laps around Indianapolis Motor Speedway's historic two and a half mile oval. The Wiener 500 is scheduled for May 22nd, two days before the marquee, Indy 500. It's NPR News. This message comes from Wise, the app for international people using money around the globe. You can send, spend, and receive in up to 40 currencies with only a few simple taps. Be smart, get Wise. Download the Wise app today or visit wise.com.

Tees and Cs apply.