NPR News: 01-27-2026 6PM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: 6PM EST – January 27, 2026

Podcast: NPR News Now
Host: Ryland Barton
Date: January 27, 2026
Duration: 5 minutes

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Episode Overview

This edition of NPR News Now provides concise updates on major national news from politics and policy to technology, literature, and notable obituaries. Coverage includes Minnesota’s pushback against federal agents, Texas's freeze on new skilled worker visas, the latest on lawsuits targeting social media companies, a dangerous Arctic cold snap, new winners of prestigious children’s book awards, and the passing of an iconic Maine lobster fisher.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Minnesota’s Governor Meets with Federal Border Official

• [00:19–01:13]
  • Governor Tim Walz (D-Minnesota) met with Tom Homan, President Trump's border czar, following Trump’s removal of Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino from Minnesota.
  • The meeting centered around:
    • Walz’s demand for “impartial investigations” into the fatal shootings of Alex Preddy and Renee Macklin Goode by federal agents.
    • Requests for a “swift and significant reduction in the number of federal forces” in the state.
    • Commitment to ongoing dialogue to work toward goals previously agreed with President Trump.
  • Quote: “The governor’s office says the two agreed on the need for an ongoing dialogue and they'll continue working toward the goals that President Trump agreed to.” — Clay Masters, [00:52]

2. Texas Freezes New Skilled Worker Visas

• [01:13–02:11]
  • Governor Greg Abbott (R-Texas) wants all state agencies and universities to halt new visa applications for skilled foreign workers (H-1B visas).
    • Move comes after concerns that U.S. workers are being replaced by cheaper foreign labor.
    • Abbott is calling for all new and renewal H1B visa applications in 2025 to be reviewed.
    • The freeze will last through the next legislative session in 2027.
    • Employers will need to furnish documentation showing efforts made to recruit Texas workers.
  • Quote: “The belief is that US Workers are being overlooked in the hiring process and even fired at a large rate so employers can hire foreign workers who are often paid less.” — Blaze Gainey, [01:45]

3. TikTok Settles Lawsuit Over Harm to Children; Meta & Google Face Jury Trial

• [02:11–02:57]
  • TikTok agreed to settle a lawsuit claiming the app is harmful to children.
    • Terms of the settlement are confidential.
    • Meta (Facebook/Instagram) and YouTube now face a jury trial in Los Angeles.
    • Snapchat settled a related suit last week.
    • The outcomes may influence a wave of ongoing lawsuits involving more than a thousand plaintiffs (individuals, school districts, state attorneys general).
  • Quote: “The case is among a wave of lawsuits accusing social media companies of deliberately hooking kids on, leading to mental health problems.” — Shannon Bond, [02:24]

4. Arctic Cold Wave Strikes Southern U.S.; Ongoing Power Outages & Fatalities

• [02:57–03:27]
  • New Arctic air is bringing dangerously low temperatures to the South, already affected by earlier snow and ice storms.
  • People are being evacuated to warming shelters; repair crews are working to restore power.
  • At least 42 deaths reported.
  • Extreme cold warnings in effect from Texas through Western Pennsylvania.

5. Federal Reserve Set to Hold Rates; DOJ Investigation of Fed Chair Overshadows Meeting

• [03:27–03:54]
  • Federal Reserve expected to keep its key short-term interest rate unchanged, despite President Trump urging further cuts.
  • The meeting is notable for the subpoena of the Fed chair in a criminal DOJ investigation—the first such situation involving a sitting Fed chair.

6. 2026 Caldecott & Newbery Awards for Children's Literature Announced

• [03:54–04:35]
  • John Newbery Medal: “All the Blues in the Sky” by Renée Watson (middle-grade, written in verse, about grieving a friend).
  • Randolph Caldecott Medal: “Fireworks” (Illustrated by Katya Chen, written by Matthew Burgess).
  • Coretta Scott King Author Book Winner: “Will’s Race for Home” by Jewell Parker Rhodes.
  • King Illustrator Award: “The Library in the Woods” (Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie, written by Calvin Alexander Ramsey).
  • Announced at the American Library Association’s annual Youth Media Awards.
  • Quote: “All the Blues in the Sky by Renee Watson has won the John Newbery Med. Watson’s middle grade novel, written in verse, tells the story of a 13 year old girl who is grieving the sudden death of her best friend.” — Elizabeth Blair, [03:54]

7. Obituary: Virginia Oliver, Legendary Lobster Fisher, Dies at 105

• [04:35–04:58]
  • Virginia Oliver, known as the “Lobster Lady,” passes away at 105.
  • Began lobstering at age 8 in Rockland, Maine.
  • One of the industry’s oldest and most respected figures, working nearly a century in a male-dominated field.

8. Stock Market Update

• [04:58]
  • Wall Street closed mixed but hit new records; Dow Jones fell 0.8%.

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Notable Quotes (with Timestamps)

• Clay Masters [00:52]:
  “The governor’s office says the two agreed on the need for an ongoing dialogue and they'll continue working toward the goals that President Trump agreed to.”

• Blaze Gainey [01:45]:
  “The belief is that US Workers are being overlooked in the hiring process and even fired at a large rate so employers can hire foreign workers who are often paid less.”

• Shannon Bond [02:24]:
  “The case is among a wave of lawsuits accusing social media companies of deliberately hooking kids on, leading to mental health problems.”

• Elizabeth Blair [03:54]:
  “All the Blues in the Sky by Renee Watson has won the John Newbery Med. Watson’s middle grade novel, written in verse, tells the story of a 13 year old girl who is grieving the sudden death of her best friend.”

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Additional Memorable Moments

• The mixed market close despite new all-time highs signals ongoing financial uncertainty.
• The passing of Virginia Oliver marks the end of an era for Maine lobster fishing.

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By distilling the day’s key developments with crucial attribution and context, this NPR News Now episode offers a quick but thorough sweep of the major events shaping the nation at day’s end.

Transcript

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[Ryland Barton]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. Minnesota's Democratic Governor Tim Wall says he met with President Trump's border czar Tom Homan today at the state Capitol. The two met after Trump pulled BOR patrol commander Greg Bovino from the state. Minnesota Public Radio's Clay Masters reports.

[Clay Masters]

Governor Tim Wall's office confirms the Democrat met with Tom Homan in his Capitol office. Walz reiterated his call for impartial investigations into the fatal shootings of Alex Preddy and Renee Macklin Goode in Minneapolis by federal agents. The governor's office says he also asked for a swift and significant reduction in the number of federal forces in Minnesota. The governor's office says the two agreed on the need for an ongoing dialogue and they'll continue working toward the goals that President Trump agreed to. In a phone call Monday with Walz, Trump told reporters at the White House the meeting went well. For NPR News, I'm clay masters in St. Paul.

[Ryland Barton]

Texas. Republican Governor Greg Abbott says he wants all state agencies and universities to freeze new visa applications for skilled foreign workers. Texas Newsroom's Blaze Gainey reports the move comes after recent reports of abuse in.

[Blaze Gainey]

The H1B visa agency heads across the state to make sure US workers are being recruited before foreign labor is sought out. This is a response to a federal proclamation restricting the entry of certain non immigrant workers. The belief is that US Workers are being overlooked in the hiring process and even fired at a large rate so employers can hire foreign workers who are often paid less. The freeze is to remain in place until the end of the next state legislative session in 2027. Abbott will also be asking that any new and renewal H1B visas submitted in 2025 be reviewed, as well as documentation showing the efforts made to hire Texas candidates for each position held by a visa holder. For NPR News, I'm Blaze gainey in Austin.

[Ryland Barton]

TikTok has agreed to settle a lawsuit over claims its app is harmful to children. NPR's Shannon Bond reports. Meta and Google's YouTube still face a jury trial that started today in Los Angeles.

[Shannon Bond]

The case is among a wave of lawsuits accusing social media companies of deliberately hooking kids on leading to mental health problems. The plaintiff's lawyer told NPR Terms of TikTok settlement with the teenage plaintiff in the case. In California, state court were confidential. Another defendant, Snapchat, reached its own undisclosed settlement last week. The outcome of a few trials, including the one in la, could help open the door to a wider settlement with more than a thousand individuals, school districts and state attorneys general suing the tech companies in state and federal court. Shannon Bond, NPR News.

[Ryland Barton]

A new influx of Arctic air is expected to spur freezing temperatures in parts of the south already covered in snow and ice. Many people are fleeing to warming shelters and crews work to restore power after last weekend's storm. At least 42 deaths have been reported. Parts of the country from Texas through western Pennsylvania are under extreme cold warnings. This is NPR News. The Federal Reserve's rate setting committee is set to meet tomorrow. It's almost certain to keep its key short term rate unchanged at about three point, despite President Trump's wishes for further cuts. The meeting will be overshadowed by the bombshell revelation earlier this month that the Justice Department has subpoenaed the head of the nation's central bank as part of a criminal investigation. It's the first time a sitting Fed chair has been investigated. The American Library association has announced the 2026 Caldecott and Newbery winners, the annual awards for children's and young adult literature. NPR's Elizabeth Blair has the details.

[Elizabeth Blair]

All the Blues in the sky by Renee Watson has won the John Newbery Med. Watson's middle grade novel, written in verse, tells the story of a 13 year old girl who is grieving the sudden death of her best friend. The Randolph Caldecott Medal for American Picture book is Fireworks, illustrated by Katya Chen and written by Matthew Burgess. The Coretta Scott King author book winner is Will's Race for Home, written by Jewel Parker Rhodes. The King Illustrator Award book is the Library in the woods, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie and written by Calvin Alexander Ramsey. The awards were announced Monday at the American Libra Association's annual Youth Media Awards. Elizabeth Blair, NPR News.

[Ryland Barton]

Virginia Oliver, one of the world's oldest lobster fishers, has died at the age of 105. Born in Rockland, Maine, she began trapping lobsters when she was eight years old. Known as the Lobster lady, she worked in the male dominated industry for nearly a century. Wall street closed mix today, but also set new records. The Dow dropped eight tenths of a percent. This is NPR News.

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