NPR News: 01-13-2026 4PM EST

Summary

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NPR News Now — January 13, 2026, 4PM EST

Host: Lakshmi Singh
Podcast: NPR News Now
Episode: NPR News: 01-13-2026 4PM EST
Date: January 13, 2026

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Overview

This five-minute news update delivers concise reporting on breaking national stories, including a high-profile resignation in Minnesota's U.S. attorney's office, new developments in transgender sports legislation at the Supreme Court, possible U.S. war crime violations, economic news relating to inflation, political developments including President Trump's economic strategies, and the death of "Dilbert" creator Scott Adams.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Minnesota U.S. Attorney's Office Resignation

• [00:18–01:10]
• Summary: Joe Thompson, renowned federal prosecutor specializing in social services fraud, resigns along with senior colleagues. The move is linked to pressure from the Justice Department to investigate the widow of Renee Macklin Goode, recently killed by ICE.
• Additional Insight:
  • Concerns raised that immigration enforcement is deprioritizing major fraud cases.
• Source: Dana Ferguson, Minnesota Public Radio.

2. Supreme Court and Transgender Athlete Bans

• [01:10–01:47]
• Summary: The Supreme Court appears prepared to uphold state bans on transgender athletes joining girls' and women's sports teams.
  • West Virginia case spotlights Heather Jackson’s 15-year-old daughter, Becky.
• Memorable Quotes:
  • Lakshmi Singh: "She's just an average female teenager." [01:30]
  • West Virginia Attorney General John J.B. McCuskey (via Scott Horsley):

    "If boys are allowed to play in girls sports, what we know is they will take the place of biological females on these teams and take away their opportunities." [01:37]

• Context: Ongoing legal debates in Idaho and West Virginia are before the court.

3. Alleged U.S. Military War Crimes

• [01:47–02:57]
• Summary: An NPR investigation reveals that a Pentagon-ordered boat strike on September 2, 2025, may have violated both U.S. military code and laws of war by:
  • Conducting a second strike to kill survivors.
  • Using an aircraft disguised as civilian (possible perfidy).
• Memorable Quotes:
  • Quill Lawrence:

    "Killing shipwrecked enemies is a textbook violation of US Military code and the laws of war." [02:30]

• Context: The strike, legislated under the Trump administration's widened war-on-cartels policy.

4. Economic Update: Inflation and Stock Market

• [02:57–03:40]
• Summary:
  • Inflation remains steady at 2.7% year-over-year for December, mirroring November’s data (Labor Department report).
  • The Dow Jones closes nearly 400 points down.
• Context: No significant movement noted in inflation trends.

5. President Trump on Interest Rates and Economic Messaging

• [03:40–04:07]
• Summary:
  • President Trump criticizes the Fed’s slow approach to interest rate cuts during Detroit Economic Club remarks.
  • Pitches a cap on credit card interest, despite lack of authority.
• Notable Analysis:
  • Scott Horsley:

    "The president's policies are also contributing to the high cost of living, whether it's tariffs or his immigration crackdown, which has limited the labor supply and, you know, made it more expensive for things like construction." [04:02]

6. Scott Adams ("Dilbert" Creator) Dies at Age 68

• [04:07–04:52]
• Summary:
  • Scott Adams, creator of the satirical comic strip "Dilbert," dies after revealing a cancer diagnosis.
  • Adams’ career spanned comic strips, books, and an animated sitcom. The strip was widely dropped in 2023 following Adams' racist remarks.
• Memorable Quotes:
  • Scott Adams (1996 NPR interview):

    "You get real cynical if you spend more than five minutes in a cubicle. But I certainly always planned that I would escape someday." [04:32]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Supreme Court and Transgender Athlete Ban:

  • "If boys are allowed to play in girls sports, what we know is they will take the place of biological females on these teams and take away their opportunities."
    — West Virginia Attorney General John J.B. McCuskey ([01:37])

• On War Crimes Allegations:

  • "Killing shipwrecked enemies is a textbook violation of US Military code and the laws of war."
    — Quill Lawrence ([02:30])

• On Economic Policy Critique:

  • "The president's policies are also contributing to the high cost of living, whether it's tariffs or his immigration crackdown..."
    — Scott Horsley ([04:02])

• On Corporate Life (Scott Adams):

  • "You get real cynical if you spend more than five minutes in a cubicle. But I certainly always planned that I would escape someday."
    — Scott Adams ([04:32])

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• MIN U.S. Attorney Resignations & Immigration Investigation: 00:18–01:10
• SCOTUS Hears Transgender Athlete Ban Cases: 01:10–01:47
• U.S. Military Boat Strike, Possible War Crimes: 01:47–02:57
• Inflation Report & Stock Market: 02:57–03:40
• President Trump on the Fed and Interest Rates: 03:40–04:07
• Death of Scott Adams, Creator of "Dilbert": 04:07–04:52

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Conclusion

In a tightly packed five minutes, this NPR News Now update covers critical legal, political, and cultural stories shaping the week, offering factual reporting, direct quotes from newsmakers and officials, and essential economic data for listeners seeking to stay informed on current events.

Transcript

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[Lakshmi Singh]

Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. Minnesota's top federal fraud attorney is stepping down after the Justice Department pushed his office to investigate the widow of a woman killed by an ICE week. Minnesota Public Radio's Dana Ferguson has details.

[Dana Ferguson]

Joe Thompson, the attorney with extensive experience prosecuting social services fraud in Minnesota, resigned from the U.S. attorney's office along with several other experienced attorneys. The move comes after top Justice Department officials pushed the Minnesota U.S. attorney's office to investigate the widow of Renee Macklin Goode, the person shot and killed last week by ICE agent Jonathan Ross. The prosecutors also raised concerns about immigration enforcement efforts diverting resources away from prosecuting major fraud cases in the state. For NPR News, I'm Dana Ferguson in St. Paul.

[Lakshmi Singh]

The Supreme Court's conservative majority appears poised to let stand state laws that ban transgender athletes from taking part in girls and women's sports teams. One case affects Heather Jackson's 15 year old daughter Becky in West Virginia. She's actually not the biggest person on her team. There's people taller than her.

[Scott Horsley]

There's people shorter than her.

[Lakshmi Singh]

She's just an average female teenager. State Attorney General John J.B. mcCuskey defends the ban.

[Scott Horsley]

If boys are allowed to play in girls sports, what we know is they will take the place of biological females on these teams and take away their opportunities.

[Lakshmi Singh]

The Supreme Court is also weighing arguments in a case involving Lindsay Hecox, a college senior in Idaho blocked from trying out for the Boise State University varsity women's track team. One of the boat strikes ordered by the Pentagon last year may have used a plane that looks like a civilian aircraft. NPR's Quill Lawrence reports. That may violate U.S. military code and the laws of war.

[Quill Lawrence]

The Trump administration says it is at war with drug cartels, and it's therefore legal for the military to carry out deadly strikes on small boats on suspicion that they're smuggling drugs. But the first of those strikes lasts. September 2nd was already controversial because it included a second round of strikes to kill survivors clinging to their capsized boat. Killing shipwrecked enemies is a textbook violation of US Military code and the laws of war. Now a government official not authorized to speak publicly confirms to NPR that the plane in that strike was painted not to look military. Another potential war crime called perfidy. According to that official. The plane is part of a highly classified Pentagon program predating the Trump administration. Quill Lawrence, NPR News.

[Lakshmi Singh]

Inflation's holding steady according to the Labor Department's report on the consumer price Index. In December, consumer prices were up 2.7% from the previous year, same as November's year over year increase. The Dow's closed down nearly 400 points. This is NPR News. President Trump's disapproval with the Fed's measured approach to interest rate cuts was on display today in Michigan as the Fed prepares to hold another meeting this month. The president addressed the Detroit Economic Club with some jokes and a jab at Fed Chair Jerome Powell, who is the target of a controversial DOJ investigation. NPR's Scott Horsley reports. Trump faces a broad challenge in convincing voters about his handling of the economy.

[Scott Horsley]

The president has trotted out a number of proposals to try to address affordability, whether that was the 50 year mortgage or now this cap on credit card interest rate. I think it's pretty clear he doesn't have the authority to cap interest rates like that. But keep in mind the president's policies are also contributing to the high cost of living, whether it's tariffs or his immigration crackdown, which has limited the labor supply and, you know, made it more expensive for things like construction.

[Lakshmi Singh]

NPR's Scott Horsley reporting. Dilbert creator Scott Adams has died at the age of 68 this coming months after he publicly disclosed he was diagnosed with cancer. NPR's Rachel Treisman has more.

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Adams rose to fame in the 1990s with the comic strip Dilbert. It satirized corporate culture based on Adams own experience in offices. As he explained explained to NPR in.

[Scott Horsley]

1996, you get real cynical if you spend more than five minutes in a cubicle. But I certainly always planned that I would escape someday.

[Mint Mobile Announcer]

Dilbert spawned books and an animated sitcom, but newspapers dropped it in 2023 after Adams made racist remarks on his YouTube talk show. Rachel Treisman, NPR News.

[Lakshmi Singh]

I'm Lakshmi Singh, NPR News in Washington.

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This message comes from Mint mobile. Starting at $15 a month, make the switch at mintmobile. Com switch $45 upfront payment for 3 months 5 gigabyte plan equivalent to $15 a month taxes and fees extra first 3 months.