NPR News: 01-13-2026 5AM EST

Summary

---

NPR News Now – 01-13-2026, 5AM EST

Host: Dave Mattingly
Date: January 13, 2026

---

Episode Overview

This five-minute news update covers the latest significant national and international events, including US-Iran relations amid protests, lawsuits over immigration enforcement, major nurses’ strike in New York City, criticism of a Federal Reserve investigation, a new report on rising climate pollution in the US, and the conviction of a Navy sailor for espionage.

---

1. US-Iran Relations and Internet Blackouts

[00:17–01:16]

• Main Points:

  • President Trump is considering enlisting Elon Musk to restore Internet service in Iran, where the regime has shut down connectivity to curb mass protests.
  • Protests began in late December, driven by the collapse of Iran’s currency.
  • Human rights groups report hundreds killed and thousands arrested.
  • Despite the blackout, some Iranians reportedly access the Internet via Starlink satellites.

• Key Quotes:

  • “[Elon Musk] is founder and owner of the aerospace company SpaceX, which runs Starlink … providing high-speed satellite Internet in areas where traditional broadband doesn't exist.”
    —John Ruich ([00:41])
  • “Authorities have also shut down the Internet, although there are reports that some people are able to access it using Starlink.”
    —John Ruich ([01:09])

---

2. Legal Actions Over Immigration Enforcement

[01:16–02:09]

• Main Points:
  • Minnesota, Illinois, and the city of Chicago are suing the Trump administration over aggressive immigration enforcement.
  • Chicago claims federal agents question people about citizenship “without a reason to believe they’re in the US illegally”, citing arrests without warrants or probable cause.
  • This legal action comes after fatal and injurious shootings by immigration and border patrol agents in Minneapolis and Portland.

---

3. Nurses Strike in New York City

[02:09–02:52]

• Main Points:

  • Second day of a strike involving nearly 15,000 nurses across three hospital networks.
  • Nurses seek better security, wages, health benefits, and—crucially—staffing improvements.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “Understaffing is the biggest issue for me. Coming into a night with 250 people there and only two or three nurses in your area working with 14, 15 patients, you know, it's kind of impossible to see everybody and make sure everybody gets the same level of care.”
    —Brian Austin, ER nurse, New York Presbyterian ([02:19])
  • Hospital execs claim they have worked to improve staffing and call the strike “reckless.”
    —Caroline Lewis ([02:36])

---

4. Federal Reserve Criticism

[02:52–03:31]

• Main Points:
  • Prominent economic figures criticize the Justice Department’s investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and the cost of headquarters renovation.
  • Powell views the probe as political pressure to lower interest rates more quickly.

---

5. US Climate Pollution Increases

[03:31–04:15]

• Main Points:

  • The Rhodium Group estimates a 2.4% rise in US greenhouse gas emissions last year.
  • Main contributors: power plants burning more coal due to high natural gas prices; increased use of heat in buildings during a colder 2025; transportation emissions remained flat thanks to growth in EVs and hybrids.
  • Recent fossil fuel-friendly policies have not yet shown a major effect.

• Key Quotes:

  • “Generally colder winters across the country, that's leading to more use of natural gas and fuel oil for heating in the building sector.”
    —Ben King, Rhodium Group ([03:48])
  • “Climate pollution from transportation was flat even though people traveled more.”
    —Jeff Brady ([03:56])

---

6. Former US Navy Sailor Sentenced for Espionage

[04:15–end]

• Main Points:
  • Jin Chaowei, age 25, sentenced to over 16 years in prison for selling sensitive military information to China.
  • Information included technical and operational data; Chaowei received $12,000.
  • He served as an engineer on the USS Essex.

---

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Elon Musk’s Starlink bridging Internet access in Iran ([00:41–01:09])
• ER nurse describing understaffing crisis ([02:19])
• Climate pollution trends and cold winters’ impact ([03:48])

---

Useful Timestamps

• 00:17 – U.S. offers to help restore Internet in Iran
• 01:16 – Legal challenges against immigration enforcement
• 02:09 – Details from the striking nurses on working conditions
• 03:31 – Insights on rising U.S. greenhouse gases
• 04:15 – Navy sailor sentenced for espionage

---

This concise newscast delivers a rapid, reliable cross-section of urgent global and national issues, presenting diverse expert commentary and frontline testimony in its coverage.

Transcript

[Capital One Advertiser]

This message comes from Capital One with the Venture X card. Earn unlimited double miles, a $300 annual capital one travel credit and access to airport lounges. Capital One what's IN your wallet? Terms apply. [e-mail].

[Dave Mattingly]

Live from NPR News. In Washington, I'm Dave Mattingly. President Trump says he may ask Elon Musk to help restore Internet service in Iran. The regime in Tehran cut off Internet access as anti government protests spread across the country. Human rights activists say hundreds of demonstrators have been killed in the crackdown, as NPR's John Ruich reports.

[John Ruich]

Among other things. Elon Musk is founder and owner of the aerospace company SpaceX, which runs Starlink. It has a constellation of thousands of satellites orbiting Earth that provide high speed satellite Internet in areas where traditional broadband doesn't exist. The protests in Iran began in late December over the collapse of the country's currency. The demons have spread and grown, but the government has been cracking down. According to rights groups, there have been thousands of arrests and hundreds of people killed in recent days. The authorities have also shut down the Internet, although there are reports that some people are able to access it using Starlink. John Ruich, NPR News.

[Dave Mattingly]

The states of Minnesota and Illinois, as well as the city of Chicago are suing the Trump administration over its immigration enforcement actions. Chicago's lawsuit argues federal immigration agents have been interrogating residents about their citizenship status status without a reason to believe they're in the US Illegally. It cites arrests being made without a warrant or probable cause. This follows the fatal shooting of a woman in Minneapolis by an officer with U.S. immigration and Customs Enforcement and the wounding of two people in Portland, Oregon, by U.S. border Patrol agents. This is day two of a nurses strike in New York City. Nearly 15,000 nurses in three major hospital networks walked off the job yesterday after their union was unable to secure a new contract agreement. Caroline Lewis with member station WNYC has.

[Caroline Lewis]

More nurses are negotiating for better hospital security, wages, health benefits and staffing. Brian Austin is a nurse in the ER at New York Presbyterian.

[Brian Austin]

Understaffing is the biggest issue for me. Coming into a night with 250 people there and only two or three nurses in your area working with 14, 15 patients, you know, it's kind of impossible to see everybody and make sure everybody gets the same level of care.

[Caroline Lewis]

Hospital executives say they've worked to fill vacancies and improve staffing in recent years. They've characterized the work stoppage as reckless and say with the slow pace of negotiations, it could drag on for a while. For NPR News, I'm Caroline Lewis in.

[Dave Mattingly]

New York, a number of former treasury secretaries, central bankers and economists are speaking out against the Justice Department's investigation of the Federal Reserve and its chair, Jerome Powell. The DOJ is looking into costly renovations being done at Fed headquarters. Powell says he believes the investigation is an attempt to force the Fed to lower interest rates more aggressively. This is NPR News. A new report says climate pollution in the U.S. rose last year. NPR's Jeff Brady has more on a new estimate that points largely to power plants and buildings for the rise in greenhouse gas emissions.

[Jeff Brady]

The research firm rhodium group estimates US greenhouse gas emissions increased 2.4% last year. Ben King with Rhodium says higher natural gas prices encourage power plants to burn more polluting coal and in buildings. Americans turned up the heat we've had in 2025.

[Ben King]

Generally colder winters across the country. That's leading to more use of natural gas and fuel oil for heating in the building sector.

[Jeff Brady]

King says climate pollution from transportation was flat even though people traveled more. That's because there are more electric vehicles and hybrids on the road. Trump policies to boost fossil fuels and hurt renewable energy had little effect on the estimates. Those policy changes could show up in future years. Jeff Brady, NPR News.

[Dave Mattingly]

A former sailor in the US Navy is facing more than 16 years in prison. Jin Chaowei was convicted of espionage and selling sensitive military information to China. It included technical and operational. The justice department says the 25 year old was paid $12,000 for the information. Way had been an engineer aboard the USS Essex, an amphibious assault ship based in California. He was sentenced yesterday by a federal judge in San Diego. Wall street futures are on the downside this morning. Dow futures are off 56 points. I'm Dave Mattingly, NPR News, in Washington. Listen to this podcast sponsor free on Amazon Music with a Prime membership or any podcast app by subscribing to NPR News Now [e-mail] that's plus.NPR.org.