NPR News: 01-17-2026 11AM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: January 17, 2026 – 11AM EST

Episode Overview

This concise episode of NPR News Now delivers a snapshot of breaking national and international news as of mid-January 2026. Key themes include political tensions over immigration policy in Minnesota, global protests against US ambitions in Greenland, Putin’s mediation offer in Iran’s crisis, a missing plane in Indonesia, updates from the Australian Open, and NASA’s forthcoming crewed moon mission.

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Main Stories & Highlights

1. DOJ Investigates Minnesota Immigration Comments (00:24–01:25)

• Context: The Justice Department launched an inquiry into Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Fry, both Democrats, over their public remarks about federal immigration crackdowns in Minneapolis.
• Key Points:
  • The investigation centers on whether the officials' statements have hindered federal immigration enforcement.
  • Mayor Jacob Fry directly addressed the probe:

    "It is an obvious effort to intimidate me and I will not be intimidated."
    (Nora Ramm paraphrasing Fry, 00:24)

  • A federal judge meanwhile ruled that ICE agents may not arrest or retaliate against peaceful observers, nor use crowd control weapons like pepper spray on protesters.
  • "Safely following agents' vehicles does not by itself create reasonable suspicion to justify a stop."
    – Judge Kate Menendez, via Matt Sepik (01:03)
  • This injunction followed a lawsuit by six individuals detained or threatened by ICE.

2. Hands Off Greenland: Danish Protests Against US Ambitions (01:25–02:24)

• Context: Widespread protests erupted across Denmark and Greenland opposing President Trump’s persistent attempts to “take over” Greenland.
• Key Points:
  • Demonstrations carried the theme “Hands Off Greenland.”
  • Protesters gathered at the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen, waving Danish and Greenlandic flags, accompanied by speeches and musical events.
  • Attention-grabbing attire:

    "Red baseball caps like those used by Trump supporters to display their MAGA slogan. But in this case, the caps say 'Make America go Away.'"
    – Terry Scholz (01:58)

  • Protest message:

    "Greenland is not for sale. Greenland is not for sale."
    – Protesters, aired by Terry Scholz (01:54)

3. Russia Offers to Mediate Iran Crisis (02:24–03:20)

• Context: As Iran faces a harsh crackdown on anti-government protests, Russian President Vladimir Putin brokered calls with Israeli and Iranian leaders.
• Key Points:
  • Putin advocated for diplomatic solutions to stabilize Iran and the broader region.
  • The conversation with Iranian President Massoud Petishkyan affirmed support for “de-escalating tensions through diplomatic means.”
  • Notably, the Kremlin statement omitted direct reference to U.S. military threats.
  • Analysis:

    "Russia has an overt interest in preserving the Iranian regime, which has supported the Kremlin’s own military campaign in Ukraine with the sales of missiles and drones."
    – Charles Maynes (03:10)

4. Missing Plane in Indonesia (03:20–03:51)

• Context: Authorities launched a search after a regional passenger plane with 11 people on board vanished between Java and Sulawesi islands.
• Key Details:
  • The plane lost contact with ground control and disappeared from radar while over mountainous terrain.

5. Australian Open Kicks Off (03:51–04:34)

• Context: Day one of the tennis Grand Slam in Melbourne features notable American participants.
• Key Players & Matches:
  • Frances Tiafoe (29th seed) vs. Australian Jason Kubler
  • All-American men’s singles match: Sebastian Korda vs. Michael Jean
  • Venus Williams (age 45), as a wildcard, faces Olga Danilovic of Serbia

    "Venus Williams will play 24 year old Olga Danilovic of Serbia. Williams is a wildcard entry in the women's draw."
    – Lindsay Arkley (04:10)

  • Madison Keys (defending champion) faces Ukraine’s Oleksandr Oleni Kova

6. NASA’s New Moon Rocket Rolls Out (04:34–05:04)

• Context: NASA preps for a milestone lunar mission, transporting its latest moon rocket to the launch pad.
• Key Details:
  • The rocket is set to move at 1mph, expected to reach the pad by nightfall.
  • Mission will mark the first lunar journey with astronauts since Apollo

    "It's to carry them around the moon and come back to Earth for the first time since the Apollo lunar landing program ended in 1972."
    – Nora Ramm (04:50)

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Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On protest slogans in Denmark:

  "Make America go Away."
  – Protesters’ caps, via Terry Scholz (01:58)

• On civil liberties in immigration enforcement:

  "Safely following agents' vehicles does not by itself create reasonable suspicion to justify a stop."
  – Judge Kate Menendez, via Matt Sepik (01:12)

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Notable Segment Timestamps

• [00:24] — DOJ probes Minnesota officials' immigration comments (Nora Ramm, Matt Sepik)
• [01:25] — ‘Hands Off Greenland’ protests in Denmark and Greenland (Terry Scholz)
• [02:24] — Putin offers Iran crisis mediation (Charles Maynes)
• [03:20] — Indonesia plane goes missing (Nora Ramm)
• [03:51] — Australian Open opening day highlights (Lindsay Arkley)
• [04:34] — NASA moon rocket moves to launch pad (Nora Ramm)

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Tone: Factual, concise, with clear direct reporting and occasional use of vivid quotes, maintaining NPR’s measured and accessible style.

Transcript

[Tig Notaro]

On NPR's wild card podcast, comedian Tig Notaro.

It always makes me laugh when people say she had her sense of humor to the end. And I always thought it would be so funny to put in my obituary that I lost my sense of humor in the end.

Watch or listen to that Wild Card conversation on the NPR app or on YouTube @NPRWildcard.

[Nora Ramm]

Live from NPR News. In Washington, I'm Nora Ramm. The Justice Department is investigating Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Fry over public comments they've made about the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. The government is looking into whether their statements have impeded federal immigration enforcement. Both officials are Democrats. Fry called it an obvious effort to intimidate him and he will not be intimidated. A federal judge in Minneapolis has ruled that immigration agents may not arrest or retaliate against peaceful observers. And protester Matt Sepig of Minnesota Public Radio has more.

[Matt Sepik]

The injunction prohibits agents from using crowd control weapons such as pepper spray on protesters and from stopping drivers without probable cause. Judge Kate Menendez says safely following agents vehicles does not by itself create reasonable suspicion to justify a stop. The ruling comes in response to a lawsuit from six people who were detained or threatened by ICE last month.

[Nora Ramm]

Matt Sepik from Minnesota Public Radio. Thousands of people are marching across cities across Denma in opposition to President Trump's repeated threats to take over Greenland, a semiautonomous Danish island. Terry Schultz reports the organizers are calling the events hands off Greenland.

[Terry Scholz]

Protesters in Copenhagen and other major Danish cities are joining those in the streets in Greenland to reiterate to President Trump he cannot take the island, nor can he buy it.

Greenland is not for sale. Greenland is not for sale.

In the capital, the US Embassy is the focal point for the day of speeches and musical performances focused on displaying Greenlandic unity. Marchers are carrying a mix of Danish and Greenlandic flags and another red and white symbol, red baseball caps like those used by Trump supporters to display their MAGA slogan. But in this case, the caps say make America go Away. For NPR News, I'm Terry Scholz.

[Nora Ramm]

Russian President Vladimir Putin says Russia is ready to help mediate the crisis in Iran, where a state crackdown on anti government protest continues. Putin's offer came in separate phone calls with the leaders of Iran And Israel, as NPR's Charles mainnes reports from Moscow.

[Charles Maynes]

According to the Kremlin, Putin spoke first with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during which the Kremlin leader said he was in favor of diplomatic efforts to ensure stability in Iran and the wider region. A Kremlin readout of a subsequent call between Putin and Iranian President Massoud Petishkyan said both men supported de escalating tensions through diplomatic means. The statement made no direct reference to the US or recent threat threats by President Trump to launch military strikes against Tehran over its suppression of the protests. Yet Russia has an overt interest in preserving the Iranian regime, which has supported the Kremlin's own military campaign in Ukraine with the sales of missiles and drones. Charles Maynes, NPR News, Moscow.

[Nora Ramm]

This is NPR News in Washington. A search and rescue operation is underway in Indonesia after a regional passenger plane lost contact with ground control. It was carrying 11 people when it vanished from radar screenshots while approaching a mountainous region between Java and Sulawesi islands. Ten Americans are featured in day one of competition in the Australian Open tennis tournament, including the oldest player in tournament history and the defending champ. Lindsay Arkley reports.

[Lindsay Arkley]

The top ranked American competing on day one of the Australian Open is Francis Teofo, the 29th seed in the men's singles who plays Australian Jason Kubler. Another men's singles match is all American when former world no.15 Sebastian Korda takes on qualifier Michael Jean. In the women's singles, 45 year old Venus Williams will play 24 year old Olga Danilovic of Serbia. Williams is a wildcard entry in the women's draw. Madison Keyes of the US Is the defending champion and will face Ukraine's Oleksandr Oleni Kova first. For NPR News, I'm Lindsay arkley in Melbourne.

[Nora Ramm]

NASA's giant new moon rocket is on its slow journey from the Kennedy Space Center's vehicle assembly building to the launch pad. It started this morning and at 1mph could take until nightfall to get there. It's to blast off to the moon with four astronauts on board as early as February. It's to carry them around the moon and come back to Earth for the first time since the Apollo lunar landing program ended in 1972. I'm Nora Ramm, NPR News in Washington.

[NPR News Announcer]

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