NPR News: 01-27-2026 10PM EST

Summary

---

NPR News Now: January 27, 2026, 10PM EST – Episode Summary

Main Theme:
This five-minute news roundup provides a succinct update on major national and international stories, highlighting political incidents, government developments, extreme weather impacts, a public health emergency, and a notable obituary.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Incident at Ilhan Omar’s Town Hall

• [00:15]
  • Event: A man sprayed an unknown substance on Congresswoman Ilhan Omar during a town hall in Minneapolis.
  • Aftermath: He was tackled and immediately arrested. Despite pleas, Omar insisted on continuing the event rather than seeking medical evaluation.
  • Context: The incident followed her public call for Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign.
  • Background: President Trump, who has a history of targeting Omar, has previously called for her deportation.

2. Contradictory Government Review on Alex Preddy Shooting

• [00:56]

  • Report by: Jimena Bustillo
  • Content: Preliminary government review challenges the Trump administration's depiction of Alex Preddy’s shooting in Minneapolis.
  • Key Findings:
    • Preddy resisted arrest, but there’s no evidence he attacked officers or brandished a weapon beforehand, as previously claimed by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
    • A gun was only noticed after the struggle began.
  • Political Repercussions: Noem faces bipartisan scrutiny for labeling the incident as “domestic terrorism” without substantiating evidence.

  "The review makes no mention of Alex Preddy attacking officers or threatening them with a weapon, as the administration first described the incident."
  — Jimena Bustillo [01:01]

3. US Policy Oversight in Venezuela

• [01:35]

  • Report by: Michelle Kellerman
  • Event: Secretary of State Marco Rubio will brief the Senate Foreign Relations Committee about actions in Venezuela.
  • Key Points:
    • Rubio frames recent US operations as law enforcement aimed at arresting and removing Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife.
    • Notes vigilance over interim leader Delsey Rodriguez, who is cooperating with the US and opening energy sectors to American companies.
    • President Trump has seized over 50 million barrels of Venezuelan crude oil, asserting US control.
    • Democrats question the longevity and strategy of US involvement.

  "Rubio defends what he describes as a law enforcement operation to arrest and remove Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife."
  — Michelle Kellerman [01:48]

4. Winter Storm & Power Outages in the South

• [02:32]
  • Report by: Blake Farmer
  • Situation: Up to half a million residents from Texas to Tennessee remain without power after a severe winter storm.
  • Noteworthy:

    • Nashville’s utility saw nearly half the city lose power, with ongoing new outages despite restoration efforts.

    • A utility official remarked on the unusual persistence of outages:

      "Talk to a utility official today who told this story about a crew fixing a line, then they pack up, drive off, and literally in the rear view mirror, they see a branch take out the line."
      — Blake Farmer [02:55]

5. Social Media Addiction Lawsuit Settlement

• [03:08]
  • Event: TikTok settles a landmark lawsuit related to social media addiction in children, just before the trial started.
  • Industry Context: Instagram (Meta) and YouTube (Google) proceed to trial.
  • Significance: Legal attention intensifying on tech companies' responsibility for youth mental health.

6. Record Measles Outbreak in South Carolina

• [03:47]

  • Report by: Maria Godoy
  • Details: South Carolina reports 789 confirmed measles cases, surpassing the previous year's West Texas outbreak and becoming the nation's largest in nearly 30 years.
  • Location: Centered in Spartanburg County, where vaccination rates (90%) fall below the critical 95% needed for herd immunity.
  • Current Impact:
    • 89 new cases since last Friday.
    • 20 hospitalized, 557 quarantined, including students at 19 schools.
    • Outbreak ongoing since October.

  "Officials say at least 18 people, both adults and children, have been hospitalized with complications from measles since the outbreak began in October."
  — Maria Godoy [04:24]

7. Obituary: Virginia Oliver, ‘The Lobster Lady’

• [04:35]
  • Noteworthy Life: Virginia Oliver, well-known as one of the world’s oldest lobster fishers, has died at 105 years old.
  • Legacy:
    • Born in Rockland, Maine; began lobster trapping at age 8.
    • Broke gender barriers, working in the industry for nearly a century.

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Ilhan Omar’s resilience:
  "Omar continued the town hall, rejecting pleas from those around her to stop the town hall and get checked." — Ryland Barton [00:34]

• Challenging official narratives:
  "The review makes no mention of Alex Preddy attacking officers or threatening them with a weapon..." — Jimena Bustillo [01:01]

• Unprecedented weather disruption:
  "...literally in the rear view mirror, they see a branch take out the line." — Blake Farmer [02:55]

• On record-breaking measles outbreak:
  "The outbreak is now the largest the US has faced in nearly three decades." — Maria Godoy [03:53]

• Virginia Oliver’s remarkable career:
  "She began trapping lobsters when she was just 8 years old. Known as the Lobster Lady, she worked in the male dominated industry for nearly a century." — Ryland Barton [04:38]

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Congresswoman Omar Incident: [00:15–00:56]
• Alex Preddy Shooting Review: [00:56–01:35]
• Marco Rubio/Venezuela Briefing: [01:35–02:32]
• Winter Storm Power Outages: [02:32–03:08]
• TikTok Lawsuit Settlement: [03:08–03:47]
• South Carolina Measles Outbreak: [03:47–04:35]
• Virginia Oliver Obituary: [04:35–04:55]

---

This episode provides brisk but impactful coverage of major news, with a clear-eyed focus on facts, official responses, and real-world consequences—delivered in NPR’s direct, accessible style.

Transcript

[Charles Schwab/Bombas Announcer]

This message comes from Charles Schwab. When it comes to managing your wealth, Schwab gives you more choices like full service, wealth management and advice when you need it. You can also invest on your own and trade on think or swim. Visit schwab.com to learn more.

[Ryland Barton]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. A man was tackled after video appears to show him spraying an unknown substance on Minnesota Democratic Congresswoman Ilhan Omar at a town hall in Minneapolis tonight. The man was immediately arrested. Just before the confrontation, Omar called on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to resign. Omar continued the town hall, rejecting pleas from those around her to stop the town hall and get checked. President Trump has targeted Omar for years and suggested she should be deported. A preliminary government assessment contradicts the Trump administration's initial narrative of the shooting of 37 year old Alex Preddy in Minneapolis. NPR's Jimena Bustillo reports.

[Jimena Bustillo]

The review describes how Alex Preddy resisted arrest before two officers shot him. But the review makes no mention of Alex Preddy attacking officers or threatening them with a weapon, as the administration first described the incident. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has come under intense bipartisan scrutiny for her initial characterization. She was quick to describe Preddy's actions as domestic terrorism, saying Preddy was attacking officers first and brandishing a weapon. The review does not mention an attack or that a weapon. Instead, it notes officers noticed a gun once there was already a struggle to arrest him. Ximena Bustillo, NPR News.

[Ryland Barton]

Secretary of State Marco Rubio will brief his former colleagues on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee tomorrow about one of his many jobs overseeing Venezuela. NPR's Michelle Kellerman reports on what he.

[Michelle Kellerman]

Plans to say in his prepared remarks to the committee of which he used to be a member. Rubio defends what he describes as a law enforcement operation to arrest and remove Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro and his wife. Rubio says he's keeping a close watch on Venezuela's interim leader, Delsey Rodriguez, who he says has vowed to cooperate with the US and open up Venezuela's energy sector to American companies. President Trump has seized control over 50 million barrels of crude oil from Venezuela and says the US Will be in charge of that. Democrats say they have a lot of questions about the long term plan for Venezuela and will raise those with Rubio. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News. The State Department of the country is.

[Ryland Barton]

Dealing with frigid cold temperatures after last weekend's winter storm, and there are still nearly half a million power outages from Texas to Tennessee, which was particularly hard hit as WPLN's Blake Farmer explains, it.

[Blake Farmer]

Just is so widespread and really unprecedented for the local utility here in Nashville. I mean, half the city had no power at one point. And unlike a hurricane or like a tornado, new power outages are still popping up. Talk to a utility official today who told this story about a crew fixing a line, then they pack up, drive off, and literally in the rear view mirror, they see a branch take out the line.

[Ryland Barton]

WPLN's Blake Farmer reporting. You're listening to NPR news from Washington. TikTok has agreed to settle a landmark social media addiction lawsuit. Just before the trial kicked off, the social video platform was one of three companies facing claims that they deliberately addict and harm children. Meta's Instagram and Google's YouTube are moving ahead with the trial. South Carolina is reporting 789 confirmed cases of measles, surpassing the West Texas outbreak last year that resulted in the deaths of two school age children. As NPR's Maria Godoy reports, the outbreak is now the largest the US has faced in nearly three decades.

[Maria Godoy]

Public health officials in South Carolina have reported 89 new confirmed measles cases since last Friday. The vast majority are in unvaccinated kids and teens. The outbreak is centered in Spartanburg county, where the vaccination rate among students is 90% overall. That's that's lower than the 95% threshold needed to prevent measles outbreaks. There are currently 20 people in isolation and 557 others in quarantine. That includes students in at least 19 elementary, middle and high schools in the northwest region of the state, known as the Upstate. Officials say at least 18 people, both adults and children, have been hospitalized with complications from measles since the outbreak began in October. Maria Godoy, NPR News, Virginia Oliver, one.

[Ryland Barton]

Of the world's oldest lobster fishers has died at age 105. Born in Rockland, Maine, she began trapping lobsters when she was just 8 years old. Known as the Lobster lady, she worked in the male dominated industry for nearly a century. I'm Ryland Barton. You're listening to NPR News from Washington.

[Charles Schwab/Bombas Announcer]

This message comes from Bombas. Your feet hit the ground an average of 2,000 times in a mile. Bombas sports socks are designed to support you every step. Sprint to bombass.com NPR and use code NPR for 20% off.