NPR News Now – 2PM EST, January 6, 2026

Host: Lakshmi Singh
Main Theme:
A concise roundup of major national and international news, covering political developments in the US Congress, dramatic events in Venezuela, the future of prediction markets, women in the military, developments from Uvalde, and the dissolution of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Key News Highlights & Discussion Points

1. Republican House Majority Narrows

• [00:14–01:16]
• The Republican-led House faces a tenuous majority, now down to just one vote.
• Background:
  • California Republican Doug LaMalfa passed away; Indiana’s Jim Baird is hospitalized after a car accident.
  • Speaker Mike Johnson faces significant pressure:
    • Potential revolt over expired Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies.
    • Looming government shutdown deadline by month's end.
    • Urgency to secure bipartisan support for new spending bills.

Quote:
“The news means Republicans will be down to a one seat majority. The timing will be a challenge for House Speaker Mike Johnson. He’s staring down a member revolt to force a vote addressing the expired subsidies for the Affordable Care act program.”
—Claudia Grizales, NPR [00:44]

2. US Military Operation in Venezuela and Arrest of Maduro

• [01:16–01:47]
• President Trump addresses the military’s bold operation in Venezuela, which led to the arrest of former President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Celia Flores.
• Trump remarks on the unexpected and daring aspects of the mission.

Quote:
“They were protected and our guys weren’t. You know, our guys are jumping out of helicopters and you’re not protected. And they were. But it was so brilliant. The electricity for almost the entire country was, boom, turned off. That’s when they knew there was a problem.”
—President Trump [01:28]

• Maduro and Flores later plead not guilty to drug trafficking and weapons charges in a New York federal court.

3. Insider Trading Concerns Over Prediction Markets

• [01:47–02:50]
• The swift outcome of Maduro’s removal led to a $400,000 windfall for an anonymous trader on the prediction market app Polymarket.
• Concerns mount over the potential for insider trading on platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi.
• Legal complexity: prediction markets are regulated as futures, not stocks, leaving gaps in oversight.

Quote:
“Hours before President Trump ordered the Maduro operation, an anonymous user on Polymarket bet $32,000 the Venezuelan leader would be toppled. That turned into a $400,000 profit...”
—Bobby Allen, NPR [02:09]

Quote:
“Legal experts say an insider trading case against a prediction market user would be more difficult than a case against a stock market trader. There are far fewer laws governing prediction markets.”
—Bobby Allen, NPR [02:31]

4. Review of Women in Ground Combat

• [02:50–03:15]
• NPR reports the Pentagon is launching a six-month review of women serving in Army and Marine combat roles, a decade after these positions opened to women.
• Aim: Assess effectiveness and impact with “several thousand” female soldiers and Marines now in these roles.

5. Uvalde School Shooting – Officer on Trial

• [03:16–03:55]
• Former Uvalde Schools officer Adrian Gonzalez is on trial, facing 29 counts of child abandonment or endangerment.
• Context: Nearly 400 officers responded to the 2022 Robb Elementary shooting, but waited 77 minutes before intervening.

6. Corporation for Public Broadcasting Votes to Dissolve

• [03:56–04:49]
• CPB’s board voted in December to formally dissolve the organization after losing federal subsidies.
• The decision follows a legal battle with President Trump over an executive order impacting CPB’s governance and funding.
• CPB claims the dissolution is to "protect the integrity of the public media system" from further political attacks.

Quote:
“CEO Patricia Harrison said CPB dissolved, quote, to protect the integrity of the public media system. Otherwise it would be, Harrison said, quote, vulnerable to additional attacks.”
—David Folkenflik, NPR [04:19]

• A separate lawsuit challenging the executive order’s constitutionality remains in court.

7. Business Update

• [04:49–04:53]
• The Dow Jones is up 490 points.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Claudia Grizales, NPR:
  “The news means Republicans will be down to a one seat majority. The timing will be a challenge for House Speaker Mike Johnson.” [00:44]
• President Trump, on Venezuela operation:
  “The electricity for almost the entire country was, boom, turned off. That’s when they knew there was a problem.” [01:37]
• David Folkenflik, NPR:
  “CPB dissolved, quote, to protect the integrity of the public media system. Otherwise it would be, Harrison said, quote, vulnerable to additional attacks.” [04:19]

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Segment | Timestamp | |---------------------------------------------------|---------------| | GOP majority narrows, ACA revolt, shutdown | 00:14–01:16 | | US military in Venezuela, Trump’s comments | 01:16–01:47 | | Maduro arrest, prediction markets controversy | 01:47–02:50 | | Pentagon review of women in combat roles | 02:50–03:15 | | Uvalde school shooting officer on trial | 03:16–03:55 | | CPB dissolves amid subsidy battle | 03:56–04:49 | | Dow Jones performance | 04:49–04:53 |

This five-minute NPR News Now episode delivers top-level updates on US political developments, international military affairs, legal and ethical dilemmas in finance and media, and important social justice news, in NPR’s signature concise, neutral reporting style.