NPR News: 01-15-2026 11PM EST

Summary

---

NPR News Now – 01-15-2026 11PM EST

Host: Giles Snyder
Date: January 16, 2026
Duration: 5 minutes

---

Episode Overview

This concise NPR News Now update delivers breaking headlines and major developments from politics, Congress, the military, international affairs, and pop culture, all in under five minutes. Key stories include President Trump’s threat to invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota, stalled bipartisan health talks in Congress, ongoing technical problems on a US aircraft carrier, Ukraine’s escalating energy crisis, a major US-Taiwan trade deal, and leadership changes at Lucasfilm.

---

Key Segments and Discussion Points

1. President Trump Threatens to Invoke the Insurrection Act in Minnesota

[00:19 - 01:21]

• President Trump publicly threatened, via social media, to invoke the rarely used Insurrection Act if Minnesota authorities don’t stop demonstrators "attacking the patriots of ICE."
• Historical context:
  • Last invoked by President George H.W. Bush in 1992 during the LA riots after the Rodney King verdict.
  • Famously used by President Eisenhower in 1957 to enforce school desegregation in Little Rock.
• Context for Trump’s threat: Earlier in the day, a Department of Homeland Security agent shot an individual “in the country illegally” in Minneapolis. DHS reports the individual allegedly resisted arrest and attacked the officer.

Notable Quote:

"President George H.W. Bush was the last president to invoke the law in 1992 in response to violence in Los Angeles after a jury acquitted police officers... It's also known for when President Dwight Eisenhower in 1957 called up federal troops to enforce school desegregation in Little Rock, Arkansas."
— Danielle Kurtzleben [00:38]

---

2. Stalled Bipartisan Health Talks in Congress

[01:21 - 02:21]

• Negotiations to reinstate expired federal health subsidies have faltered as the Senate adjourns for a weeklong recess.
• Republicans demand stricter language to ensure subsidies don’t fund abortion.
• President Trump’s announcement of an alternative health plan complicates negotiations, as his plan wouldn’t restore these subsidies.
• Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) insists she is pushing for a bipartisan compromise.

Notable Quote:

"To be able to advance something we're going to have to have buy-in from the White House. I've told Alaskans I'm not backing down off the engagement. I don't think it is too late to salvage something."
— Senator Lisa Murkowski [02:03]

• The open enrollment period for Affordable Care Act marketplace plans is concluding in most states.

---

3. USS Gerald R. Ford: Technical Problems on a US Aircraft Carrier

[02:21 - 03:15]

• The Navy’s newest aircraft carrier, USS Gerald R. Ford, currently deployed to the Caribbean, continues to battle persistent toilet system failures.
• NPR obtained internal communications showing the issue has worsened since the ship left Norfolk in June.
• The General Accountability Office had flagged design flaws in the toilets in a 2020 report.
• The Navy states operational readiness is not compromised despite the ongoing repairs.

---

4. Ukraine’s State of Emergency in the Energy Sector

[03:15 - 04:16]

• Amid ongoing Russian strikes and a harsh winter, Ukraine’s president declared a state of emergency as cities face prolonged blackouts, especially Kyiv, with outages lasting over 12 hours.
• Many Ukrainians use fuel-powered generators for backup electricity and utilize pop-up shelters for warmth and device charging.
• President Volodymyr Zelensky announced efforts to increase energy imports and is considering easing midnight curfews so residents can access always-on shelters.

Notable Quote:

"The soundtrack in Kyiv is the buzz of generators powered by canisters of fuel... Kyiv is among the hardest hit areas with power outages lasting more than 12 hours at a time."
— Joanna Kakis [03:37]

---

5. Major US–Taiwan Trade Deal

[04:16 - 04:42]

• The US and Taiwan reached a significant trade agreement involving $250 billion in new US investments from Taiwanese semiconductor and tech firms, in exchange for reduced tariffs on Taiwanese exports.
• This deal is the latest in a series for the Trump administration, after similar agreements with the EU and Japan.

---

6. Leadership Change at Lucasfilm

[04:42 - 04:58]

• Kathleen Kennedy is stepping down from her leadership role at Lucasfilm (Star Wars studio).
• Kennedy will stay on as a full-time producer.
• Dave Filoni, longtime collaborator and protégé of Star Wars creator George Lucas, will now lead Lucasfilm.

---

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Historical perspective on the Insurrection Act:
  "President George H.W. Bush was the last president to invoke the law... it's also known for when President Dwight Eisenhower... called up federal troops to enforce school desegregation."
  — Danielle Kurtzleben [00:38]

• Senator Murkowski on health negotiations:
  "I've told Alaskans I'm not backing down off the engagement. I don't think it is too late to salvage something."
  — Lisa Murkowski [02:03]

• Reality in Kyiv:
  "The soundtrack in Kyiv is the buzz of generators powered by canisters of fuel."
  — Joanna Kakis [03:37]

---

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Insurrection Act–Minnesota: 00:19 – 01:21
• Congress Health Talks: 01:21 – 02:21
• USS Ford Technical Issues: 02:21 – 03:15
• Ukraine Emergency: 03:15 – 04:16
• US–Taiwan Deal: 04:16 – 04:42
• Lucasfilm Leadership Change: 04:42 – 04:58

---

This episode delivers a high-level, rapid-fire look at urgent national and international stories, blending political developments with insight and context, ideal for listeners seeking a reliable snapshot of current events.

Transcript

[NPR Sponsor Announcer]

This message comes from NPR's sponsor, Odoo Business Management Software. Some say Odoo is like fertilizer because it promotes growth. Others say it's a magic beanstalk scaling with efficiency. Odoo, exactly what a business needs. Sign up [e-mail].

[Giles Snyder]

Live from NPR News. I'm Giles Snyder. President Trump is threatening to invoke the Insurrection act In Minnesota in NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben reports. A rarely used law allows a president to deploy the military against civilians, not just the national guard. As NPR's Danielle Kurtzleben reports, Trump posted.

[Danielle Kurtzleben]

On social media this morning that he will invoke the act if Minnesota politicians do not stop demonstrators from, quote, attacking the patriots of ice. President George H.W. bush was the last president to invoke the law in 1992 in response to violence in Los Angeles after a jury acquitted police officers in the brutal beating of Rodney King. However, it's also known for when President Dwight Eisenhower in 1957 called up federal troops to enforce school desegregation. In Little Rock, Arkansas, hours prior to the president's post, the Department of Homeland Security posted that an agent in Minneapolis had shot a person in the leg. They said the person is in the country illegally, resisted arrest and attacked the officer. Danielle Kurtzleben, NPR News, the White House.

[Giles Snyder]

In a social media message, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz appealed to President Trump to turn down the temperature on Capitol Hill. Bipartisan bipartisan health talks in Congress have stalled. Negotiators said last week they were getting close to a deal to restore health subsidies that expired at the end of the year. Sam Greenglass reports.

[Sam Greenglass]

After a burst of activity last week, bipartisan talks are floundering as the Senate heads for a week long recess. Negotiators have been grappling with demands from some Republicans for tougher language on ensuring federal dollars don't fund abortion. And then President Trump unveiled his own health plan, which would not extend the subsidies. Senator Lisa Murkowski, Republican of Alaska, says she is still pressing to resurrect them.

[Lisa Murkowski]

To be able to advance something we're going to have to have buy in from the White House. I've told Alaskans I'm not backing down off the engagement. I don't think it is too late to salvage something.

[Sam Greenglass]

Open enrollment for Affordable Care act marketplace plans is now ending in most states. Sam Greenglass, NPR News, Washington.

[Giles Snyder]

The US Aircraft carrier deployed to the Caribbean is having a tough time keeping its toilets working. Steve Walsh with member station WHRO and Norfolk reports.

[Steve Walsh]

NPR has obtained documents that include a series of emails that detail the ship's effort to grapple with the breakdowns on board the USS Gerald R. Ford. The carrier has had problems since it first deployed in 2023. Emails between departments show those problems got worse after the carrier left its home port in Norfolk in June. Parts of the toilet system have gone down for hours while the crew tries to isolate what's wrong with the system. The General Accountability Office reported on the design flaws in 2020 before the carrier was finished. While the carrier remains in the Caribbean, the Navy says the problem has not affected operational readiness. For NPR News, I'm Steve Walsh.

[Giles Snyder]

This is NPR News. Ukraine's president has declared a state of emergency in the energy sector as power blackouts continue amid snow and freezing temperatures. NPR's Joanna Kakis reports from Kyiv that repeated Russian attacks on Ukraine. Ukraine's energy grid have left cities without heat and power.

[Joanna Kakis]

These days, the soundtrack in Kyiv is the buzz of generators powered by canisters of fuel. Ukrainian businesses and some homes are using them for backup power during extended blackouts. There are also thousands of pop up shelters across the country where people can charge their electronic devices and keep warm. Writing on social media, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said energy imports will be increased and he is considering lift midnight curfews so people can access shelters. Kyiv is among the hardest hit areas with power outages lasting more than 12 hours at a time. Joanna Kagissis, NPR News.

[Giles Snyder]

The U.S. and Taiwan have reached a trade deal. The deal, announced by the commerce department, involves $250 billion in new investments in the US by Taiwan Semiconductor and tech companies in exchange for easing tariffs on Taiwan exports to the U.S. the the deal is the latest for the Trump administration, following agreements with the European Union and Japan. Kathleen Kennedy stepping down from Star wars studio Lucasfilm. In a statement, the Walt Disney Company said Kennedy will stay on to work full time as a producer and that Dave Filoni will now lead the company. Filoni is a protege of Star wars creator George Lucas. I'm Giles Snyder. This is NPR News.

[NPR Sponsor Announcer]

This message comes from Greenlight. You've earned your legacy. Greenlight helps you protect it with account monitoring, potential fraud alerts, SOS alerts and crash detection with 911 dispatch. Learn [e-mail] protect.