NPR News Now: January 20, 2026, 1AM EST

Host: Giles Snyder
Date: January 20, 2026

Episode Overview

This five-minute NPR News Now update covers major global and national news stories as of January 20th, 2026. Reporting includes diplomatic tensions involving President Trump and NATO, U.S. Department of Homeland Security recruitment practices, a massive vehicle pileup in Michigan, legal developments on congressional access to detention centers, cyber disruptions in Iran, and the Communist Party Congress in Vietnam.

Major Stories & Key Insights

1. U.S.–Europe Relations & NATO Tensions

[00:16–01:07]

• Context: Danish Foreign Minister Lars Loko Rasmussen responds to a controversial text from President Trump to Norway's Prime Minister. Trump linked his stance on Greenland to not receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, which was seen as disruptive to NATO and EU relations.

• Rasmussen's Response:

  "It was disrupted by the statement from the president. And that's a reality of life. And that's why it's so important that all our allies in the NATO alliance in the European Union stand up for these principles..."
  — Lars Loko Rasmussen, Danish Foreign Minister [00:32]

• Rasmussen urged NATO and EU allies to remain united and not yield to pressure from the U.S., emphasizing the need for principled engagement and dialogue:

  "...you have a desire, you have a vision, you have a request, but you will never be able to achieve that by putting pressure on us."
  — Lars Loko Rasmussen [00:45]

• Follow-up: Despite recent tension, Trump announced a phone call with the NATO Secretary General and agreed to meet at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

2. DHS Recruitment of Local Police for Immigration Enforcement

[01:07–02:21]

Reporter: Windsor Johnston

• Issue: The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is under scrutiny for attempting to recruit local police officers—particularly in Minnesota and other states—for federal immigration enforcement roles.

• Advocate Perspective: Naina Gupta, Policy Director at the American Immigration Council, says local departments told her organization that DHS is "poaching" officers:

  "We know that they are looking, you know, as desperately as possible to find people to join the agency. And poaching from local police agencies is a fast way to do that..."
  — Naina Gupta [01:49]

• DHS Response: A statement to NPR clarified that many recruits are former law enforcement or military who left during the Biden administration.

3. Michigan 100-Car Pileup amid Winter Storm

[02:21–03:08]

Reporter: Patrick Senter (WGVU)

• Event: Over 100 vehicles were involved in crashes or slid off the road due to heavy snow in southwest Michigan, leading to closure of both directions of Interstate I-196.
• Response Efforts: Police, fire, ambulance, local transit, and Hudsonville High School all worked together to transport injured and stranded motorists.
• Notable Quote:

  "The local transit authority and nearby Hudsonville High School dispatched buses transporting stranded motorists away from the scene."
  — Patrick Senter [02:54]

4. Indiana's College Football Triumph

[03:08]

• Achievement: Indiana University completed an undefeated season, winning its first college football championship against Miami.

5. Legal Ruling on Congressional Visits to Detention Centers

[03:11–03:31]

• Policy: Federal judge upholds a Trump administration rule requiring members of Congress to give a week's notice before visiting immigration detention facilities.
• Legal Note: Democratic members of Congress attempted and failed to block the policy, with the judge citing an incorrect legal approach in their challenge.

6. Cyberattack on Iranian State TV During Protests

[03:31–04:06]

• Incident: Hackers disrupted Iranian state television to broadcast support for the exiled crown prince and appeal to security forces not to target civilians.
• Backdrop: This act occurs during a crackdown on mass protests, with activists reporting over 4,000 deaths.

7. Vietnam's Communist Party Congress

[04:06–04:52]

Reporter: Michael Sullivan

• Occasion: Delegates are convening in Hanoi to select new leadership and set the country's economic direction for the next five years.

• Key Developments:

  • General Secretary Tho Lam is expected to retain his role and seek the presidency—mirroring China's leadership structure.
  • Nearly 1,600 delegates will choose a 200-member Central Committee.
  • A major goal is transitioning Vietnam to a high-income economy amid U.S.-China competition.

• Notable Quote:

  "Beyond that, the Congress will also try to determine how the one party state will thrive in a fragmenting global economy amid increasing competition between its trading partners, China and the U.S."
  — Michael Sullivan [04:39]

Memorable Quotes

• Lars Loko Rasmussen (Denmark FM) [00:45]:

  "...you will never be able to achieve that by putting pressure on us. That signal is of crucial importance..."

• Naina Gupta (American Immigration Council) [01:49]:

  "...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."

• Michael Sullivan (on Vietnam Party Congress) [04:39]:

  "...the Congress will also try to determine how the one party state will thrive in a fragmenting global economy..."

Timestamps for Important Segments

• NATO/Greenland Diplomacy: 00:16–01:07
• DHS Recruitment/Immigration Enforcement: 01:07–02:21
• Michigan Pileup: 02:21–03:08
• College Football Championship: 03:08
• Congressional Visits to Detention Centers: 03:11–03:31
• Iranian State TV Hack: 03:31–04:06
• Vietnam Communist Party Congress: 04:06–04:52

This concise news update offers a window into rapidly evolving political, legal, and social events both in the U.S. and abroad, reflecting NPR’s commitment to in-depth reporting within a short format.