NPR News: 01-19-2026 9AM EST

Summary

NPR News Now – January 19, 2026, 9AM EST

Host: Kristen Wright
Duration: 5 minutes
Theme: This episode provides a concise update on major national and global news, including U.S. political maneuvers regarding Greenland, immigration enforcement developments, a deadly train accident in Spain, cultural news, and Martin Luther King Jr. Day commemorations.

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1. U.S. Threatens Tariffs Over Greenland Bid

[00:17–01:17]

• President Trump’s Tariff Threats:
  President Trump announces new tariffs on NATO countries as part of an effort to purchase Greenland from Denmark, raising international tensions.
• National Security Justification:
  Trump claims in a social media post that the U.S. needs Greenland to "protect the island from Russia and China."
• Congressional Pushback:
  • Mark Warner (Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chair):
    "The only security threat to Greenland right now is the United States." (00:47)
  • Military Action Not Ruled Out:
    Trump hasn't eliminated the possibility of a military seizure.
  • Rand Paul (Republican Senator):
    "I've heard of no Republican support for [invading Greenland]." (01:01)
• Bipartisan Response:
  Senators Rand Paul and Tim Kaine plan to propose a war powers resolution opposing military action in Greenland.

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2. World Economic Forum & U.S. Military Standby

[01:17–01:46]

• Tensions at Davos:
  The World Economic Forum opens amid U.S.-Europe strains over the Greenland situation; President Trump is expected to attend.
• Pentagon Preparation:
  1,500 U.S. soldiers are on standby for possible deployment to Minneapolis.

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3. DHS Recruiting Local Police for Immigration Enforcement

[01:46–02:32]

• Local Law Enforcement Concerns:
  The Department of Homeland Security is under scrutiny for recruiting local police officers in Minnesota and other states, aiming to bolster immigration enforcement.
• Naina Gupta (American Immigration Council):
  "We know that they are looking as desperately as possible to find people to join the agency, and poaching from local police agencies is a fast way to do that, especially in the areas where they're looking to scale up immigration enforcement." (02:00)
• DHS Response:
  States that many new recruits are veterans of law enforcement, the military, or former ICE officers who left during the Biden administration.

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4. Deadly Train Collision in Spain

[02:32–03:13]

• Accident Details:
  At least 39 people killed and dozens injured as a high-speed train from Malaga to Madrid derails and collides with another train bound for Huelva.
• Transport Minister Oscar Puente:
  Highlights the rarity of the accident: "The accident is tremendously strange... trains were traveling on a flat stretch of track."
• Ongoing Investigation:
  Officials are still determining the cause.

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5. Gourmet Magazine Is Reborn

[03:13–04:05]

• Gourmet’s Digital Return:
  Former publisher Conde Nast had held the trademark since the magazine closed in 2009. After the rights lapsed, journalist Sam Dean led a group to revive Gourmet as an independent online newsletter.
• Generational Shift:
  Most contributors are in their 30s and hadn’t written for the original magazine, reflecting the publication’s enduring influence.
• Ruth Reichl’s Support:
  The last editor of Gourmet gives her blessing to the reboot, now fully independent and worker-owned.

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6. Zoe Saldana Becomes Highest Grossing Actor

[04:05–04:25]

• Hollywood Milestone:
  Academy Award winner Zoe Saldana’s films, including "Avatar" and "Endgame," have grossed over $15 billion, making her the top-grossing actor.
• Historic Note:
  Saldana is the first American of Dominican descent to win an Oscar.

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7. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Observances

[04:25–04:55]

• Nationwide Commemoration:
  Communities mark Dr. King’s 97th birthday with peace walks, service days, and reflection.
• Ebenezer Baptist Church Service:
  The King Center’s annual service honors his legacy, themed: "Mission Possible: Building Community, Uniting a Nation the Nonviolent Way."
• Memorable Closing:
  Highlights King’s enduring influence and the ongoing legacy-building efforts.

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Notable Quotes

• Mark Warner (Senate Intelligence Committee):
  "The only security threat to Greenland right now is the United States." (00:47)
• Rand Paul (Senator, R-KY):
  "I've heard of no Republican support for [invading Greenland]." (01:01)
• Naina Gupta (American Immigration Council):
  "We know that they are looking as desperately as possible to find people to join the agency, and poaching from local police agencies is a fast way to do that..." (02:00)

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For those who missed this news update:
This episode succinctly covers major geopolitical developments, domestic security maneuvers, a tragedy in Spain, cultural media revivals, a record-breaking achievement in film, and the commemorative honoring of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Each segment is delivered with clarity and urgency, reflecting the rapidly changing news cycle.

Transcript

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[Kristen Wright]

Live from NPR News. In Washington, I'm Kristen Wright. President Trump is threatening new tariffs on a block of NATO countries in an effort to purchase Greenland. But some Senate Republicans and Democrats don't support the White House's bid to acquire semi autonomous territory of Denmark, as NPR's Luke Garrett reports.

[Luke Garrett]

In a social media post announcing new tariffs, Trump said the US Needs Greenland to protect the island from Russia and China. But vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee Mark Warner denied this on cbs.

[Mark Warner]

The only security threat to Greenland right now is the United States.

[Luke Garrett]

In his effort to take over Greenland, Trump has not taken military seizure off the table. Republican Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky told NBC the GOP controlled Congress doesn't back.

[Mark Warner]

An invasion on the war powers are on military invading Greenland. I've heard of no Republican support for that.

[Luke Garrett]

When the Senate returns, Paul and Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia hope to pass a war powers resolution that would limit Trump's ability to invade Greenland. Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington.

[Kristen Wright]

The World Economic Forum opens this week in Davos, Switzerland, at a moment when relations between the US And Europe are tense over Greenland. President Trump is expected there. The Pentagon has put 1500 US military soldiers on standby to possibly deploy to Minneapolis. Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security is facing increasing scrutiny from immigration advocates. They say the agency is actively trying to recruit local police officers in Minnesota and in other states. NPR's Windsor Johnston reports.

[Naina Gupta]

Naina Gupta is policy director with the American Immigration Council. She says police departments in Minnesota have told her organization that the DHS is trying to lure officers away from local agencies to join the federal ranks.

[Windsor Johnston]

We know that they are looking as desperately as possible to find people to join the agency, and poaching from local police agencies is a fast way to do that, especially in the areas where they're looking to scale up immigration enforcement.

[Naina Gupta]

In a statement to npr, the DHS says many of its new recruits are former law enforcement officers, military or former ICE officers who retired or quit under the Biden administration. Windsor Johnston, NPR News.

[Kristen Wright]

Authorities in Spain say at least 39 people have been killed after a high speed train left the tracks and slammed into another train. NPR's Miguel Macia says dozens of passengers were also injured.

[Miguel Macia]

A train that was traveling from Malaga to Madrid collided with the train headed for Huelva. Transport Minister Oscar Puente says the train that derailed was only four years old and the track itself had been renovated in May 2025. The accident is tremendously strange, Puente said, as the trains were also traveling on a flat stretch of track. The cause of the accident is under investigation. Miguel Macias, NPR News, Seville, Spain.

[Kristen Wright]

This is npr. Gourmet magazine is finding new life in a new form. NPR's Neta Ulaby reports.

[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 Reichl, 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 Nasty. Neta Ulaby, NPR News.

[Kristen Wright]

Academy Award winner Zoe Saldana is now the highest grossing actor. Saldana's movies among them Avatar and Endgame, have made more than $15 billion. She is the first American of Dominican descent to win an Oscar. Today, many are honoring the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Communities are commemorating Dr. King's 97th birthday with peace walks, days of service and reflection. The King center in Atlanta is holding its annual service at Ebenezer Baptist Church this morning, where Dr. King served as co pastor with his father until his assassination. The center's theme for this year's observance is Mission possible building community, uniting a nation the nonviolent way. I'm Kristen Wright. This is NPR.

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