NPR News Now – January 28, 2026, 4PM EST

Main Theme:
This NPR News Now episode delivers concise updates on major U.S. and international news, focusing on recent law enforcement controversies, Federal Reserve policy, U.S.-Venezuela relations, new research on menopause and cognition, and the upcoming tax season.

Key Segments & Discussion Points

1. Shooting Involving Immigration Officers in Minneapolis

[00:14 – 01:03]

• Incident: Two immigration officers are on administrative leave after the fatal shooting of Alex Preddy, 37, during an attempted arrest.
• CBP Protocol: Placing officers on leave is described as “standard protocol.”
  • Ximena Bustillo [00:30]: “CBP's preliminary assessment contradicted the Trump administration's first narrative about the shooting, which accused Preddy of, quote, domestic terrorism and brandishing his weapon.”
• Investigations: Both Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and state officials are investigating; the DHS Inspector General is also involved.
• Context: The incident follows another high-profile agent-involved shooting weeks earlier in Minneapolis.

Notable Quote:

“The announcement comes after CBP's initial review found that the officers shot Preddy after he resisted their efforts to take him into custody.”
— Ximena Bustillo, NPR [00:30]

2. Federal Reserve Maintains Interest Rates

[01:03 – 01:55]

• Fed Decision: Benchmark interest rates remain unchanged; no rate cuts expected before mid-March.
• Economic Climate:
  • Inflation remains “somewhat elevated” despite solid economic expansion.
  • The labor market is soft, with job growth slowing primarily due to reduced immigration and labor participation.
• Jerome Powell’s Comments:
  • Jerome Powell [01:33]: “A good part of the slowing in the pace of job growth over the past year reflects a decline in the growth of the labor force due to lower immigration and labor force participation, though labor demand has clearly softened as well.”
• Political Pressure: President Trump criticizes the Fed’s restraint, expressing a desire to remove Powell, emphasizing the Fed’s independence.
  • Lakshmi Singh [01:55]: “President Trump criticizes the Fed for resisting more aggressive interest rate reductions, and he has repeatedly said he wants Powell out. However, the Federal Reserve is designed to be independent of political interference.”

3. U.S.–Venezuela Relations and Regime Change

[02:07 – 02:49]

• Diplomatic Developments: Secretary of State Marco Rubio characterizes talks with Venezuela’s interim leaders as “very respectful and productive.”
• Recent Events: A military raid in January ousted Nicolás Maduro; interim leadership under Vice President Delsey Rodriguez continues.
• U.S. Position:
  • Marco Rubio [02:39]: “We are not postured to, nor do we intend or expect to have to take any military action in Venezuela at any time. The only military presence you will see in Venezuela is our Marine guards at an embassy.”
• Controversy: Senate Democrats question U.S. tactics, raising concerns about oil contracts given to Trump donors.
• Objective: Rubio calls oil contracts a “short term fix,” with the stated goal of restoring democracy and normalizing Venezuela’s energy sector.

4. New Research: Hormone Therapy and Menopause Brain Health

[03:20 – 04:10]

• Study Overview: Analysis of 125,000 women reveals that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) during menopause offers cognitive benefits, specifically faster reaction times.
  • Dr. Cristal Langley [03:47]: “Those women that were on HRT were able to respond much faster and much more similarly to those premenopausal women.”
• Limitations: HRT showed no improvement for anxiety or sleep issues; lifestyle factors like physical activity, diet, and limiting alcohol are also important.

5. 2026 Tax Season Challenges

[04:10 – 04:41]

• IRS Outlook: A 27% workforce reduction and new GOP-led tax laws are projected to complicate the season.
  • Reporter [04:10]: “[Erin Collins] says the Internal Revenue Service is affected by a 27% reduction of its workforce, reorganization of leadership, and major changes to tax laws…”
• Expectations: Despite these hurdles, administration officials forecast “substantial refunds” and predict the tax season will proceed smoothly.

6. Market Update

[03:07, 04:46–04:48]

• Closing Stats:
  • Dow Jones up 12 points
  • S&P slightly down
  • Nasdaq up 40 points

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• “CBP's preliminary assessment contradicted the Trump administration's first narrative about the shooting…”
  — Ximena Bustillo, NPR [00:30]

• “A good part of the slowing in the pace of job growth…reflects a decline in the growth of the labor force due to lower immigration and labor force participation.”
  — Jerome Powell, Federal Reserve Chair [01:33]

• “We are not postured to, nor do we intend or expect to have to take any military action in Venezuela at any time. The only military presence you will see in Venezuela is our Marine guards at an embassy.”
  — Secretary Marco Rubio [02:39]

• “Those women that were on HRT were able to respond much faster and much more similarly to those premenopausal women.”
  — Dr. Cristal Langley [03:47]

Episode Tone

Direct, fast-paced, and factual, emphasizing clarity on key policy moves, evolving investigations, and U.S. government actions. Soundbites from officials and experts add insight and immediacy.

This summary provides a clear, timestamped breakdown of NPR's top-of-the-hour briefing for January 28, 2026, capturing all salient points and major quotes for listeners seeking the essentials.