NPR News: 01-18-2026 3PM EST

Summary

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NPR News Now: 01-18-2026 3PM EST – Episode Summary

Overview

This concise, five-minute NPR News Now episode delivers urgent updates on domestic military preparations, economic forecasts, international agreements, media relaunches, and a notable moment in international sports, capturing a snapshot of U.S. and world affairs on January 18, 2026.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. U.S. Military on Standby for Deployment in Minnesota

• Host: Nora Ramm ([00:16])
  • "The Pentagon is preparing active duty soldiers from the Army's 11th Airborne Division in Alaska for possible deployment in Minnesota."
  • As many as 1,500 troops are on standby in response to President Trump's warning to invoke the Insurrection Act amid protests against immigration agents in Minneapolis.
  • "Invoking the law in this way would be a departure from what past presidents have done."

Insurrection Act History and Context

• Reporter: Kat Lansdorf ([00:51])
  • Historical use: Most recently by George H.W. Bush in 1992 during the LA riots, at the request of California’s governor.
  • "In the modern era, the Insurrection Act has only been used for either civil rights enforcement or responding to civil unrest at the request of the state’s governor."
  • The proposed use by Trump would differ: "It would check neither of those boxes."
  • Generally, it’s "invoked as a last resort when officials have exhausted every other possible option."

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2. Economic Outlook: Wall Street’s Busy Earnings Week

• Reporter: Maria Aspen ([01:36])
  • Wall Street faces a packed schedule as dozens of public companies announce quarterly results.
  • "U.S. bank Fifth Third and other regional lenders are among the banks reporting earnings."
  • Bigger banks say customers are "in great shape," leading investors to watch for signs of consumer resilience amid inflation and job market uncertainty.
  • Looming issue: President Trump’s proposed 10% cap on credit card interest rates—"Bankers hate the idea."
  • Capital One’s earnings report will be closely followed, as well as those from United Airlines, Intel (now partly U.S. Government-owned), and Netflix ("fighting Paramount by Warner Brothers").
  • Quote: “Investors are hoping for more signs that consumers are shrugging off inflation and job market uncertainty.” – Maria Aspen ([01:44])

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3. Syria: Landmark Government-Kurdish Agreement

• Reporter: Jayna Raf ([02:29])
  • Syrian government claims breakthrough agreement with Syrian Kurds to halt fighting.
  • Syrian government troops have pushed back Kurdish-led forces, seizing towns and Syria’s biggest oil fields—previously held by Kurds since defeating ISIS in 2019.
  • U.S.-backed SDF (Syrian Democratic Forces) "have controlled an autonomous region of Syria since they broke away from the Assad regime 14 years ago."
  • Per President Ahmad al Shara: SDF has agreed government forces will take control of oil fields and borders.
  • The Kurdish-led forces have not commented.

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4. Middle East: Israel Objects to Gaza Governance Board Appointments

• Host: Nora Ramm ([03:11])
  • Israel opposes two appointments by President Trump to a new executive board intended to oversee Gaza governance and replace Hamas.
  • The appointees: The foreign minister of Turkey and a senior official from Qatar.
  • Israel's concern: Both countries are seen as Hamas supporters, though they are close Trump allies.

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5. Media: Revival of Gourmet Magazine

• Reporter: Neta Ulaby ([03:45])
  • Gourmet magazine, folded since 2009, is being relaunched as an independent online newsletter.
  • Rights noticed to be expired by food writer Sam Dean, who "came up with a plan to reboot Gourmet as an online only newsletter along with a group of other journalists."
  • Most staff are in their 30s—"too young to have written for the original Gourmet"—a testament to the brand’s lasting influence.
  • The new edition is "a fully independent operation owned by its workers," not associated with Conde Nast; has the blessing of its last editor, Ruth Reichl.
  • Quote: “That speaks to the original magazine’s influence.” – Neta Ulaby ([03:57])

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6. Sports: NBA Global Games and Unusual Protest

• Host: Nora Ramm ([04:27])
  • Final international date for NBA Global Games: Memphis Grizzlies vs. Orlando Magic in London.
  • Vanessa Williams performed the National Anthem.
  • Memorable moment: During Williams’ performance, a heckler shouted: "Leave Greenland alone," referencing President Trump’s desire to annex the territory.
  • Reaction: The outburst "drew scattered laughs and applause. Williams finished the song unfazed."

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "Invoking the law in this way would be a departure from what past presidents have done." – Nora Ramm ([00:28])
• "What would be different about this time...is that it would check neither of those boxes." – Kat Lansdorf ([01:09])
• "Bankers hate the idea, and car giant Capital One will likely also weigh in as it reports earnings." – Maria Aspen ([01:54])
• "That speaks to the original magazine's influence." – Neta Ulaby ([03:57])
• "Leave Greenland alone." – Anonymous heckler, during Vanessa Williams' anthem at NBA Global Games ([04:39])
• "Williams finished the song unfazed." – Nora Ramm ([04:50])

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Timeline Highlights

• [00:16] U.S. military preparations in Minnesota; Insurrection Act context.
• [01:36] Financial sector’s outlook; credit card interest rate debate.
• [02:29] Syrian government-Kurdish forces agreement news.
• [03:11] Israel objects to Gaza executive board appointments.
• [03:45] Gourmet magazine’s transformation into an independent newsletter.
• [04:27] NBA Global Games; anthem protest moment in London.

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Summary prepared using the original NPR broadcast language and reporting style for clarity and fidelity to source.

Transcript

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[Nora Ramm]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Nora Ramm. The Pentagon is preparing active duty soldiers from the Army's 11th Airborne Division in Alaska for possible deployment in Minnesota. An official confirms as many as 1500 troops are on standby. President Trump has warned he would invoke the Insurrection act to allow the use of the military in domestic law enforcement to deal with protests against the immigration agents in Minneapolis. Invoking the law in this way would be a departure from what past presidents have done. NPR's Kat Lansdorf has more.

[Kat Lansdorf]

It has certainly been used before, most recently by George H.W. bush in 1992 during the LA riots, which killed dozens of people, caused a lot of destruction. But that was at the request of California's governor. In the modern era, the Insurrection act has only been used for either civil rights enforcement or responding to civil unrest at the request of the state's governor. What would be different about this time if Trump does invoke it, is that it would check neither of those boxes. Another thing to note is that the Insurrection act is generally invoked as a last resort when officials have exhausted every other possible option.

[Nora Ramm]

NPR's Kat Lonsdorf. It will be a short but busy week on Wall street as dozens of public companies release their quarterly report cards. NPR's Maria Aspen reports.

[Maria Aspen]

U.S. bank Fifth, Third and other regional lenders are among the banks reporting earnings. Their bigger rivals say customers are generally, quote, in great shape. So investors are hoping for more signs that consumers are shrugging off inflation and job market uncertainty. But there's another cloud hanging over lenders President Trump's proposed 10% cap on credit card interest rates. Bankers hate the idea, and car giant Capital One will likely also weigh in as it reports earnings. Other big companies to watch include United Airlines intel, which is now partly owned by the US Government, and Netflix, which is fighting Paramount by Warner Brothers. Maria Aspen, NPR News.

[Nora Ramm]

The Syrian government says it has reached a groundbreaking agreement with Syrian Kurds to stop fighting. NPR's Jayna Raf has details.

[Jayna Raf]

Syrian government troops over the past two days pushed back Kurdish led forces taking control of towns and the country's biggest oil fields that had been held by Syrian Kurds since they defeated ISIS in 2019. U S backed Kurdish forces, the SDF, have controlled an autonomous region of Syria since they broke away from the Assad regime 14 years ago. But now the Syrian president says that is over and that the SDF has agreed that government forces will take control of oil fields and borders. The Kurdish led forces have not commented on their interpretation of the agreement announced by President Ahmad al Shara. Jane Araf, NPR News. Aman.

[Nora Ramm]

This is NPR News in Washington. Israel is objecting to two of the people President Trump has named to a new executive board to oversee the governing of Gaza to replace Hamas. They're the foreign minister of Turkey and a senior official from Qatar. Israel sees those two countries as supporting Hamas. Both are close allies of Trump. A beloved Epicurean magazine will make a comeback of sorts this year. As NPR's Neta Ulaby reports, Gourmet magazine is finding new life in a new form.

[Neta Ulaby]

Gourmet magazine shuttered in 2009, but its former publisher, Conde Nast, kept renewing its trademark for years. Recently, a sharp eyed food writer named Sam Dean noticed the rights had expired. He came up with a plan to reboot Gourmet as an online only newsletter along with a group of other journalists. Most are in their 30s and too young to have written for the original Gourmet. That speaks to the original magazine's influence. Its last editor, Ruth Reichll, has given the new newsletter her blessing, but it will launch on Tuesday as a fully independent operation owned by its workers without the imprimatur of Conde Nast. NDA Ulabi, NPR News.

[Nora Ramm]

Today's the final international date of the season for the NBA Global Games. The Memphis Grizzlies faced the Orlando Magic in London. Vanessa Williams sang the Star Spangled Banner, the Associated Press reports. While she was singing, a heckler yelled leave Greenland alone, a reference to President Trump's desire to take over the Danish territory. The the outburst drew scattered laughs and applause. Williams finished the song unfazed. I'm Nora Ramm, NPR News.

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