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What's in store for the music, TV and film industries for 2026? We don't know, but we're making some fun, bold predictions for the new year, plus setting some personal pop culture resolutions. Listen to Pop Culture Happy Hour in the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Live from NPR News. In Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. An immigration officer shot and killed a woman in her car during the Trump administration's immigration action in Minneapolis. Federal officials say the shooting was an act of self def defense. Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz says he's been warning for weeks that someone would be hurt during the crackdown.
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We do not need any further help from the federal government. To Donald Trump and Kristi Noem, you've done enough. There's nothing more important than Minnesotan safety. I've issued a warning order to prepare the Minnesota National Guard. We have soldiers in training and prepared to be deployed if necessary.
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President Trump is defending the ICE officer who killed the woman, blaming what he called the radical left for the incident. Social media posts Trump said ICE agents are, quote, just trying to do the job of making America safe. The FBI and Minnesota state authorities are investigating. Russia is accusing the US of violating the law of the sea with its seizure of a Russian flagged oil tanker with ties to Venezuela. U.S. forces boarded the ship in the North Atlantic, saying it was in violation of US Sanctions on Venezuelan oil exports. From Moscow, Charles Mainz has details in.
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A statement, Russia's Transport Ministry says the vessel had received temporary permission to sail under the Russian flag back in late December. Russia lost contact with the vessel after, according to Moscow, US Naval forces boarded the ship in violation of freedom of navigation principles laid out in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Separately, Russia's Foreign Ministry is calling for the safe return of Russian nationals on board. The US had been in pursuit of the tanker for nearly two weeks on suspicion it was carrying sanctioned Venezuelan oil trolls mains, NPR News, Moscow.
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Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Has announced new dietary guidelines for Americans focused on promoting whole foods, healthy proteins and fats. NPR's Allison Aubrey reports. The administration has unveiled a new food pyramid with red meat, vegetables and fruits pictured at the top.
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Secretary Kennedy described the new guidelines as the most significant reset on nutrition policy in history, calling for an end to policies that promote highly refined foods that are harmful to health. The guidelines will set limits on adequate sugars and encourage diets that include meat and dairy.
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Protein and healthy fats are essential, and we're wrongly discouraged in prior dietary guidelines. We are ending the war on saturated fats.
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The guidelines are highly influential, determining what's served in school meals and on military bases, as well as what's included in federal food aid. Alice Gnawbry, NPR News.
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A judge has delayed Nick Reiner's arraignment in the killing of his parents, Director Rob Reiner, and Michelle Singer. Reiner, his attorney, asked to be replaced by a public defender. He did not say why. It's been more than three weeks since the Reiners were found stabbed to death. Wall Street's strong start to the year slowed today. The S&P 500 slipped 3. 10 of a percent. It's NPR. New York City Mayor Zahran Mamdani is supporting a new housing official amid backlash over past social media posts. Tenant activist Sia Weaver was appointed last week. Her old posts called for the seizure of private property and linked homeownership to white supremacy. Weaver expressed reg, saying the remarks are, quote, not something I would say today. Fighting in Yemen is escalating after separatists took over huge swaths of the country from Saudi backed fighters. Talks between the factions were meant to take place this week, but the leader of the southern fighters whereabouts are unknown. NPR's Ayom Batrawi reports. The group wants to secede from the north of Yemen where Iranian backed Houthis hold sway.
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Efforts to de escalate the recent fighting have not succeeded. Saudi backed forces are pushing south to win back territory from the Southern Transitional Council, or st, which says the Saudi air force is also carrying out deadly airstrikes. Saudi Arabia says it carried out preemptive strikes in the south of Yemen to curtail the stc. Meanwhile, the whereabouts of the head of the STC are unclear. A Saudi spokesperson says Eid al Zubaidi fled to an unknown location after failing to board a flight to the kingdom for talks. This comes the same day that Yemen's presidential council ousted the secessionist leader as a member and referred him to prosecution for treason. The STC says El Zebedi remains in the southern Yemeni city of Aden overseeing military and civilian affairs. Aya Boltrawi, NPR News, Dubai.
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A winter storm system brought snow, ice, freezing rain and dangerous driving to New England and the region's preparing for more unpleasant conditions later in the week. The combination of rain, snow and slush have blanketed roads and caused dozens of school districts to close. This is NPR News. Listen to this podcast sponsor, free on Amazon Music with a Prime membership or any podcast app by subscribing to NPR news now@plus.NPR.org that's plus NPR. Org.
Host: Ryland Barton (NPR)
Duration: ~5 minutes
Episode Theme: Breaking national and international news; significant updates in U.S. policy, global conflicts, public health, and weather conditions.
This concise newscast covers top stories including the fallout from a fatal immigration enforcement incident in Minneapolis, U.S.-Russia tensions over a seized oil tanker, sweeping new U.S. dietary guidelines, updates in a high-profile murder case, a growing crisis in Yemen, and severe winter weather across New England. The episode provides immediate context, quotes from figures at the center of the news, and rapid reporting on evolving situations.
The reporting is direct and urgent, reflecting the gravity of events and delivering essential developments efficiently. The news team balances political statements with on-the-ground updates, providing context without editorializing. Official voices are preserved, with critical quotes and statements included to maintain the original tone. The episode leaves listeners informed about national and international crises shifting day-to-day.
This summary covers all vital news and commentary in the episode, excluding intro/outro and sponsorship material, for an at-a-glance but thorough understanding of the day’s news from NPR.