NPR News Now - NPR News: 02-05-2026 11AM EST

Episode Date: February 5, 2026

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On NPR's Wildcard podcast, Oprah, on the Art of Being Alone. Are you good at being alone? Ooh, my God. I'm a master at it. Tell me more. I cherish it. I revel in it. I can't wait to be alone. Watch or listen to that wildcard conversation on the NPR app or on YouTube at NPR Wildcard. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Krova Coleman. A new NPR, PBS News, Marist poll is.

out, NPR's Domenico Montanaro reports, it finds President Trump's immigration and enforcement tactics are widely unpopular. Two-thirds say federal law enforcement agents have gone too far. That's up significantly since last summer. Sixty-one percent disapprove of ICE immigration and customs enforcement, and 62 percent think ICE is making Americans less safe. This comes on the heels of the killing of two U.S. citizens at the hands of federal immigration agents in Minnesota over the past few weeks. A key part of the coalition to help Trump get reelected were independents, Latinos, and voters under 30 years old. But they've soured on the president. Seven and ten of each group say ICE has gone too far, and majorities of them all disapprove of the job that Trump is doing.

Domenico Montanaro and PR News, Washington. President Trump says his administration could use a, quote, softer touch on immigration. He spoke in an interview aired last night on NBC. Trump says it was his decision to withdraw 700 federal agents. from Minnesota this week. This follows the killing of two American protesters in Minneapolis. But Trump says his administration still has to be tough with hard criminals. More than 2,000 federal agents still remain deployed in Minnesota. The bipartisan budget just passed into law will restore a lot of funding and programs in the Federal Health Agency. Congress also created

new guardrails for the agency after a chaotic year. NPR Selena Simmons-Duffin reports. Under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. last year, tens of thousands of staff quit or were fired. Grants were canceled with no notice and congressionally required programs were hollowed out. Senator Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat from Wisconsin, says she helped write the new health budget with this goal. How do we rein in an agency that has gone rogue? The new bipartisan law includes detailed instructions to fund specific centers, to fully staff, them to pay grantees promptly and more. It's very, very specific. It is law.

And by the way, the president just signed it. HHS did not respond to her request for comment about the new budget. Selina Simmons-Duffin and Pure News, Washington. Today's show host Savannah Guthrie and her siblings have released a video online. They're delivering a message to potential kidnappers of their mother, Nancy Guthrie. We need to know. without a doubt that she is alive and that you have her. We want to hear from you, and we are ready to listen.

Nancy Guthrie is 84 years old. She disappeared over the weekend in Tucson, Arizona. Investigators believe she was taken against her will. They do not have any suspects. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Iranian officials say they will hold nuclear talks tomorrow with U.S. representatives, the talks have been moved from Turkey to Oman. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the U.S. is interested in other issues,

such as limiting the reach of Iran's ballistic missiles and sponsorship of terror organizations. Shoemaker Nike is under federal investigation. The federal government is accusing the company of discriminating against white employees. NPR's Christian Wright reports. The government agency tasked with protecting the civil rights of workers. is demanding in federal court that Nike fully comply with a subpoena. The EEOC or Equal Employment Opportunity Commission wants information about things like Nike's hiring practices, career development opportunities,

and how it uses data on race and ethnicity. Most EEOC complaints are filed by the public, but this one was brought by the now chair of the agency in 2024, alleging Nike discriminates against white employees. Nike stands by its employment practices in a statement to NPR and says the government. its latest action feels like a surprising and unusual escalation. The company says it shared thousands of pages of information and responses and will keep cooperating. Christian Wright, NPR News, Washington.

The state of Illinois and New York City have joined a network from the World Health Organization. It's intended to identify and work against disease outbreaks. California was the first state to join last month. Two weeks ago, the Trump administration officially withdrew the United States from the World Health organization. On Wall Street, the Dow is down 600 points, more than 1%. It's NPR. Listen to this podcast sponsor-free on Amazon Music with a prime membership or any podcast app by subscribing to NPR NewsNowplus at plus.npr.npr.org. That's plus.npr.org.