NPR News Now — January 9, 2026, 1PM EST

Main Theme:
This five-minute news update from NPR covers key stories from across the U.S. and abroad, focusing on recent shootings involving federal immigration agents, concerns over the U.S. role in Venezuela, surprisingly slow job growth numbers, a high-profile fraud trial, and U.S. diplomatic aid in Southeast Asia.

Major News Stories & Key Insights

1. Minneapolis Shooting by Federal Immigration Agent

• Details: Authorities in Minnesota call on the public for video evidence after a federal immigration agent fatally shot Renee Goode, a Minneapolis woman, earlier in the week.
• Attorney General Keith Ellison’s Statement:

  “She died trying to be a legal assistant to legal observer to look out for the interests of the most vulnerable members of our community.”
  — Keith Ellison [00:31]

• Official Response: The administration asserts the agent acted in self-defense.
• National Context: Another federal shooting in Portland left two injured, inciting protests at an ICE facility. Both events have spurred scrutiny over agents’ authorization and use of force.

  • "The Trump administration maintains agents are authorized to act if they are threatened while attempting to enforce immigration law." — Lakshmi Singh [01:04]

2. U.S. Job Growth Slows

• Labor Department Numbers:
  • December hiring slower than anticipated — 50,000 jobs added, missing the 70,000 projection.
  • Marks the slowest annual job growth since the pandemic began.
• Political Impact: Polls indicate increasing disapproval with President Trump’s handling of the economy.

3. U.S. Military Action & Public Opinion on Venezuela

• Public Sentiment:
  • Strong Republican support for military moves in Venezuela, per NPR and Reuters/Ipsos polls.
  • Majority worry about “too much” U.S. involvement.
• President Trump’s Comments:

  “Sean Hannity, it's going to take a while to do it. We have to rebuild the country. They couldn't have an election. They wouldn't even know how to have an election right now. The country has become Third World and they wouldn't know how to have an election right now. We're going to rebuild the oil and the oil infrastructure. We'll be in charge of it and make a lot of money.”
  — President Donald Trump, Fox News [01:42–01:59]

• Moral Leadership Poll:
  • While over 60% of Americans want the U.S. to be a moral world leader, only 45% believe it is living up to that standard.
  • Democratic Voter Perspective:

    “It's not about anything that has to do with the betterment of the people in Venezuela. It's solely due to taking over the resources in that land, and that is not moral to mean my world.”
    — Sarah Bolling [02:37]

  • Republican View: More than 60% say the U.S. is the world’s moral leader and shouldn’t hesitate to use military power. — Summary by Frank Langfitt [02:48]

4. Ted DiBiase Jr. Welfare Fraud Trial

• Case Summary: Ex-professional wrestler Ted DiBiase Jr. is facing trial in Mississippi, accused of embezzling nearly $3 million in federal welfare funds.
• Key Details:
  • Funds intended for needy families allegedly misused for personal purchases, including real estate and a boat.
  • DiBiase allegedly received special privileges within the Department of Human Services despite not being a state employee or contractor.
  • This is the only criminal case proceeding in the wake of Mississippi’s $77 million welfare fraud scandal. — Reporting by Shamir Muhammad [03:34–04:20]

5. U.S. Diplomatic Aid to Southeast Asia

• Developing Story: The Trump administration is preparing $45 million in aid for Cambodia and Thailand, aiming to support a U.S.-brokered ceasefire.
• Announcement: U.S. Assistant Secretary of State delivered the news in a media briefing from Bangkok.

6. Stock Market Update

• Current Trends: Major U.S. indices are trading higher at the hour:
  • Dow up 200 points at 49,465
  • S&P up 41
  • NASDAQ up 174

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Keith Ellison, on the shooting victim:

  “She died trying to be a legal assistant to legal observer to look out for the interests of the most vulnerable members of our community.” [00:31]

• President Trump, on U.S. involvement in Venezuela:

  “We have to rebuild the country. ... We're going to rebuild the oil and the oil infrastructure. We'll be in charge of it and make a lot of money.” [01:42–01:59]

• Sarah Bolling, on U.S. moral leadership:

  “It's not about anything that has to do with the betterment of the people in Venezuela. It's solely due to taking over the resources in that land, and that is not moral to me in my world.” [02:37]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Fatal shooting by a federal officer / Attorney General Ellison’s remarks: 00:18–00:44
• Portland ICE shooting and administration defense: 00:44–01:04
• Labor Department jobs report & political reaction: 01:08–01:29
• Polls on Venezuela action / Trump comments on Fox: 01:29–01:59
• Foreign policy restraint & moral leadership poll: 02:02–02:48
• Welfare fraud trial of Ted DiBiase Jr.: 03:01–04:20
• US-Cambodia/Thailand aid & market updates: 04:20–04:53

This concise NPR news update offers a snapshot of ongoing political, economic, and legal issues in the U.S., delivering essential headlines and a range of public perspectives.