NPR News Now: 01-29-2026, 10AM EST – Episode Summary

Brief Overview

This five-minute NPR News update, hosted by Korva Coleman, covers key headlines from across the United States, focusing on immigration enforcement in Minnesota, an FBI search of Georgia’s election offices, sharp fluctuations in the U.S. trade deficit, ongoing power outages and dangerous cold weather across the South and East, and unions’ pushback against proposed federal staffing cuts. The episode provides succinct reporting with direct quotes from officials and affected individuals.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Immigration Operations and Community Response in Minnesota

• Border Enforcement: President Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, affirms the federal posture on immigration enforcement, specifically mentioning possible reduction of federal agents in Minnesota if the state authorities cooperate ([00:17]).
• Local Reaction:
  • Mixed responses within Minnesota, with some resistance and adaptation among local businesses as federal operations continue.
  • A Minneapolis café, Modern Times Cafe, has shifted to a donation-based model rather than charging customers—seen as a stance supporting the community amid heightened enforcement ([00:50]).
  • Owner Dylan Alvorson explains his radical approach as a response to an environment of “chaos,” referencing a federal shooting incident nearby ([01:13]).

Memorable Quote:

• Dylan Alvorson ([01:13]):

  "I'm just starting to think radically and say, like, if the world is chaos, then business owners have to adapt to that chaos."

2. FBI Raids Georgia Elections Office

• Seizure of Ballot Records: FBI agents confiscate 2020 election ballot records from Fulton County, Georgia—the state at the center of ongoing disputes and claims surrounding the 2020 presidential election ([01:34]).
• Local Concerns: Rob Pitts, chair of the Fulton County Board of Commissioners, voices doubts about the integrity and security of the ballots after the raid ([01:59]).

Memorable Quote:

• Rob Pitts ([01:59]):

  "So we can no longer, and I can no longer as chair of this board, satisfy not only the citizens of Atlanta, but the citizens of the world that those ballots are still secure. So that is a major concern that I have right now."

3. Economic Shifts: Trade Deficit and Job Market

• Trade Deficit Up: The U.S. trade deficit nearly doubled in November 2025, attributed to lower exports and higher imports amid unpredictable tariff policies ([02:34]).
• Corporate Impact: Caterpillar anticipates hefty tariff expenses (over $2.6 billion) despite record sales for the year, with much of their growth precipitated by demand from data centers ([02:34]).
• Job Market: Unemployment benefit applications remain stable and the Federal Reserve notes hints of job market stabilization, keeping interest rates unchanged ([02:34]).

Memorable Quote:

• Scott Horsley ([02:34]):

  "The trade gap has been volatile as exporters and importers try to adjust to rapid changes in the president's tariff policies."

4. Widespread Power Outages and Dangerous Cold

• Power Outages: 300,000 customers—mostly in Mississippi and Tennessee—remain without power following a severe winter storm ([03:13]).
• Fatalities and Cold Snap: At least 50 storm-related deaths reported across affected regions. Persistently low temperatures continue, with forecasters predicting another cold blast ([03:13]–[03:50]).
• State and Campus Response:
  • Mississippi’s governor highlights compounding difficulties for residents, especially those still without power or reliable water systems ([04:05]).
  • The University of Mississippi’s Oxford campus remains closed for a second week ([04:25]).

Memorable Quote:

• Gov. Tate Reeves ([04:05]):

  "It's going to be brutally cold again in the state of Mississippi. And so that creates a large number of other challenges, particularly for those have not yet gotten power back, particularly for those whose water systems are not back operating and functioning exactly the way they need to."

5. Federal Worker Unions Sue Administration Over FEMA Cuts

• Union Action: Federal employee unions are suing the Trump administration over announced plans to slash 10,000 jobs from FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) ([04:33]).
• Dispute Over Scale: The unions argue the administration is understating the extent of job cuts, which could impair disaster response readiness.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dylan Alvorson, Modern Times Cafe Owner ([01:13]):

  "If the world is chaos, then business owners have to adapt to that chaos."

• Rob Pitts, Fulton County Board Chair ([01:59]):

  "I can no longer ... satisfy ... that those ballots are still secure."

• Scott Horsley, NPR ([02:34]):

  "The trade gap has been volatile as exporters and importers try to adjust to rapid changes in the president's tariff policies."

• Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves ([04:05]):

  "It's going to be brutally cold again in the state of Mississippi. And so that creates a large number of other challenges..."

Timestamps of Important Segments

• [00:17] Immigration enforcement and local response in Minnesota (Korva Coleman, Alex V. Cipolli, Dylan Alvorson)
• [01:34] FBI searches Georgia elections office; ballot security concerns (Korva Coleman, Rob Pitts)
• [02:34] Economic report: trade deficit, tariffs, job market (Scott Horsley)
• [03:13] Severe weather, outages, and campus closings across the South (Korva Coleman, Debbie Elliott, Gov. Tate Reeves)
• [04:33] Federal unions sue Trump administration over FEMA job cuts (Korva Coleman)

This summary delivers a comprehensive view of the episode’s major news events and voices, representing the concise, objective reporting style of NPR.