NPR News: 02-04-2026 1AM EST

Summary

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NPR News Now – February 4, 2026, 1AM EST

Host: Giles Snyder
Episode Theme:
A concise, five-minute roundup of major U.S. and international news events, spanning government funding battles, immigration enforcement, developments in the Russia-Ukraine conflict, regional lawsuits over infrastructure, unusual weather impacts, and updates on global markets.

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1. Government Funding & DHS Dispute

[00:16–01:08]

• President Trump has signed a funding bill, ending the partial government shutdown from the past weekend.
• The next battle in Congress shifts to funding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which is only cleared through the end of next week.
• Democrats are pressing for reforms to immigration enforcement, particularly in light of recent fatal shootings in Minneapolis.

Key Insights:

• Congress faces a choice: pass another DHS stopgap bill or risk a narrow shutdown.
• DHS funding covers vital agencies: TSA, the Coast Guard, and FEMA.
• Immigration enforcement remains robust:

  "Congress already gave Immigration and Customs Enforcement 75 billion dollars over four years through that Republican tax and spending bill that passed last summer."
  — NPR Analyst [00:56]

• Even if future funding is turbulent, current immigration enforcement programs will continue.

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2. Resignations at U.S. Attorney’s Office in Minneapolis

[01:08–01:57]

• A series of resignations have hit the U.S. attorney’s office in Minneapolis, following an incident where an immigration agent fatally shot Renee Macklin Good and subsequent federal pressure on prosecutors to investigate her widow.
• Departures now include a victims advocate, three prosecutors, and four civil division attorneys.

Notable Moment:

• The resignations have fully depleted the team prosecuting major social service fraud cases in Minnesota. Replacement lawyers are being brought in from other regions and the military.

"The departures mean that the Minnesota U.S. attorney's office has now lost all of the lawyers who were prosecuting a series of major social service program fraud cases involving dozens of defendants."
— Matt Sepik, MPR [01:38]

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3. NATO’s Response to Russia’s Continued Attacks on Ukraine

[01:57–02:49]

• NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visited Kyiv, addressing Ukraine’s parliament and condemning Russia’s renewed attacks on the city’s infrastructure amidst harsh winter conditions.
• Rutte praised Ukraine’s endurance and assured that international security provisions are in place to reinforce any peace deal.

Key Quotes:

"On the ground, jets in the air, ships on the Black Sea."
— NATO Official [02:30]

"Russia attacks like those last night do not signal seriousness about peace."
— NATO Official [02:41]

• Despite direct talks between Ukraine and Russia, the overnight missile and drone attacks have left thousands in Kyiv without power, water, or heat.

Ukrainian President Zelensky’s Accusation:

"Russia used [the cease fire] to stockpile munitions to employ them in overnight assaults."
— NPR Reporter [03:01]

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4. Lawsuit Over Gateway Tunnel Project in New York/New Jersey

[03:16–03:39]

• New Jersey Governor Mikey Sherrill announces a joint lawsuit against the Trump administration, alleging illegal freezing of funds for the Gateway Tunnel project.
• Nearly 1,000 jobs are at risk as construction faces imminent suspension.
• This legal action is distinct from another filed by the Gateway Development Commission earlier in the week.

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5. Record-Breaking Cold in South Florida Stuns Iguanas (and Locals)

[03:39–04:40]

• South Florida experienced a rare and record-setting cold snap, leading to a phenomenon of “cold-stunned” iguanas falling from trees.
• Iguana trapper Blake Wilkins reported catching around 3,000 iguanas in two days.

Memorable Quote:

"The sheer numbers of them was surprising. Even knowing that it was getting as cold as it was going to. I’m still kind of like borderline shocked with how many we found and got."
— Blake Wilkins, Redline Iguana Removal [04:03]

• The cold immobilizes the cold-blooded reptiles, but experts warn this does not resolve the area’s invasive iguana problem.

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6. Asian Markets Update

[04:40–04:55]

• Asian shares showed mixed results following Wall Street losses, with markets in Japan and China particularly affected by a sell-off in tech stocks.

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End of episode.

Transcript

[Commercial Announcer]

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[Giles Snyder]

Live from NPR News, I'm Giles Snyder. Now that President Trump has signed a funding bill that ends the partial government shutdown that began over the weekend, the next big fight in Congress is over the Department of Homeland Security.

[NPR Reporter]

DHS funding has been extended, but only through the end of next week as Congress is set to begin debate over Democratic demands for changes in immigration enforcement following two fatal shootings in Minneapolis. NPR's Sam Greenglass on what happens next.

[NPR Analyst]

Congress could pass another DHS stopgap bill or we could see a very narrow shutdown. And remember, DHS also includes funding for TSA agents, the Coast Guard and FEMA. Meanwhile, Congress already gave Immigration and Customs Enforcement 75 billion billion over four years through that Republican tax and spending bill that passed last summer. So the immigration crackdown would continue.

[NPR Reporter]

A wave of resignations continues at the U.S. attorney's office in Minneapolis. The mass exodus began after an immigration agent killed Renee Macklin Good last month and the Justice Department pressured prosecutors to investigate her widow. Matt Sepik, Minnesota Public Radio, reports.

[Matt Sepik]

The latest to submit their resignations include a victims advocate, three prosecutors and four civil division attorney, according to a person familiar with the situation who's not authorized to speak publicly. NPR first reported three of the resignations last week. The departures mean that the Minnesota U.S. attorney's office has now lost all of the lawyers who were prosecuting a series of major social service program fraud cases involving dozens of defendants. U.S. attorney Dan Rosen has brought in prosecutors from elsewhere in the country, as well as military lawyers. For NPR News, I'm Matt Sepik in St. Paul.

[NPR Reporter]

Overseas, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte was in Kyiv Tuesday and addressed Ukraine parliament.

[Giles Snyder]

NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports on his condemnation.

[NPR Reporter]

Of Russia's overnight attacks on Kyiv's infrastructure and frigid winter weather.

[Eleanor Beardsley]

Ruta hailed Ukrainian strength and courage in the face of nearly four years of Russian attack. He said the necessary security guarantees to back any peace deal are largely in place. European troops with a US Backstop, troops.

[NATO Official]

On the ground, jets in the air, ships on the Black Sea.

[Eleanor Beardsley]

And the NATO leader hailed the direct talks now underway between Ukraine and Russia.

[NATO Official]

And this is important progress. But Russia attacks like those last night do not signal seriousness about peace.

[Eleanor Beardsley]

Russian drones and missiles have caused heavy damage to Ukraine's energy infrastructure Thousands of buildings in Kyiv are without power, water or heat. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Kyiv.

[NPR Reporter]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is accusing Russia of exploiting a week long cease fire and attack on energy infrastructure, saying Russia used it to stockpile munitions to employ them in overnight assaults. This is npr.

[Giles Snyder]

New Jersey Governor Mikey Sherrill says New York and New Jersey are suing the Trump administration.

[NPR Reporter]

The lawsuit claims the administration is illegally freezing funding for the Gateway Tunnel project, putting the jobs of near 1,000 workers at risk. Construction on the project is set to halt on Friday. This lawsuit is separate from the suit filed this week by the Gateway Development Commission.

[Giles Snyder]

The record breaking cold snap over the weekend had some South Floridians stunned.

[NPR Reporter]

Across the region, cold stunned iguanas piled up.

[Giles Snyder]

Sophia Zaran of member station WLRN reports.

[NPR Reporter]

That even iguana trappers were surprised.

[Sophia Zaran]

The invasive green iguana is not an unusual sighting in Florida. However, the cool weather has longtime iguana trapper Blake Wilkins leaping for lizards.

[Blake Wilkins]

The sheer numbers of them was surprising. Even knowing that it was getting as cold as it was going to. I'm still kind of like borderline shocked with how many we found and got.

[Sophia Zaran]

Wilkins is the owner of Redline Iguana Removal and said that the cold snap helped his team catch around 3,000 iguanas in just two days. Iguanas are cold blooded and cannot regulate their own body heat, so when temperatures dipped below 40, some became stunned while others died. Wilkins warns people to remain alert because one cold snap won't solve South Florida's invasive iguana problem. I'm Sophia Sahran in Miami.

[Giles Snyder]

Following losses on Wall Street, Asian shares.

[NPR Reporter]

Are mixed in Tuesday trading with the markets in both Japan and China dragged down by a sell off in tech industry stocks. I'm Giles Snyder, NPR News.

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