NPR News: 02-05-2026 1PM EST

Summary

NPR News Now

Episode: 02-05-2026 1PM EST

Date: February 5, 2026
Host: Jeanine Herbst

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EPISODE OVERVIEW

This concise five-minute newscast delivers the latest updates across U.S. politics, immigration policy, global affairs, science, sports, and markets. Coverage includes President Trump’s address at the National Prayer Breakfast, changes in federal immigration policy in Minnesota, diplomatic tensions regarding Cuba, new scientific insights into Parkinson's disease, the introduction of a new Olympic sport, and a brief market report.

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KEY DISCUSSION POINTS & INSIGHTS

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1. President Trump at the National Prayer Breakfast

• [00:14–01:13]
• President Trump delivered a mix of religious messaging and campaign-style rhetoric, declaring that "religion is back and, quote, hotter than ever."
• He emphasized his record as a champion for the faith community but veered off-script, boasting about his accomplishments and attacking political opponents.
• Notably, he singled out Republican Congressman Thomas Massie, calling him a “moron who always voted against House legislation” and nicknaming him “Rand Paul Jr.”
• Notable Quote:
  • Donald Trump: "There's something wrong with him. We call him Rand Paul Jr. You know, it's like they just vote no." [00:54]
• Attendance included lawmakers from both parties and some global leaders.

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2. Minnesota and Federal Immigration Policy

• [01:13–02:16]
• Reports of a drawdown of 700 federal immigration officials are viewed by Minnesota authorities as a positive step, but they stress that further action is needed.
• Border czar Tom Homan stated that additional withdrawals depend on cooperation from local law enforcement, particularly sheriffs.
• In Hennepin County, the sheriff’s office only honors ICE holds with a signed judicial warrant.
• Sheriff Dewana Witt expressed conditional openness to changing this policy if it can be shown to benefit local safety.
• Notable Quote:
  • Dewana Witt: "That were to change. And that's a if, right? You're going to have to show me how it's going to make Hennepin county residents safer and you're going to have to actually act good on what you say." [01:57]
• Ongoing discussions between local and federal officials remain “healthy.”

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3. China Opposes Foreign Interference in Cuba

• [02:16–03:08]
• A top Chinese official stated Beijing’s opposition to foreign intervention in Cuba, referencing recent U.S. actions in Venezuela.
• Cuba’s president expressed gratitude for China’s assistance.
• Ongoing U.S. restrictions, including blocking most oil imports to Cuba, have led to concerns about a looming humanitarian crisis.
• China has increasingly voiced criticism of U.S. involvement in Venezuela and Cuba, strengthening diplomatic ties with both governments.

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4. New Research on Parkinson's Disease

• [03:08–04:05]
• A study published in the journal Nature reveals that Parkinson's disease disrupts a crucial brain network connecting thoughts to actions.
• Scientists used over 800 MRI scans to identify that signal transmission in Parkinson’s brains is impaired.
• This disruption helps to explain symptoms that go beyond movement—such as digestive issues, sleep disorders, and memory lapses.
• Notable Quote:
  • He Sheng Lu: "It almost feels like a tunnel is jammed so no traffic can go normally." [03:42]

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5. Winter Olympics Adds Ski Mountaineering

• [04:05–04:48]
• For the first time in more than three decades, the Winter Olympics are adding a brand new sport: ski mountaineering ("ski mo").
• The discipline includes hiking uphill and skiing downhill, with events: women’s sprint, men’s sprint, and mixed relay.
• This addition brings the total of new medal events at the Games to eight.

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6. Wall Street Market Update

• [04:48–04:53]
• Brief report:
  • Dow Jones down 360 points
  • NASDAQ down 212 points

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MEMORABLE MOMENTS & QUOTES

• Donald Trump, regarding political adversary Thomas Massie:
  • "There's something wrong with him. We call him Rand Paul Jr. You know, it's like they just vote no." [00:54]
• Hennepin County Sheriff Dewana Witt, on potentially changing ICE hold policy:
  • "That were to change. And that's a if, right? You're going to have to show me how it's going to make Hennepin county residents safer and you're going to have to actually act good on what you say." [01:57]
• He Sheng Lu, describing disrupted brain signals in Parkinson's:
  • "It almost feels like a tunnel is jammed so no traffic can go normally." [03:42]

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TIMELINE OF IMPORTANT SEGMENTS

• 00:14–01:13 — President Trump's National Prayer Breakfast Speech
• 01:13–02:16 — Minnesota Immigration Policy Debate
• 02:16–03:08 — China’s Statement on Cuba and U.S. Policy
• 03:08–04:05 — Parkinson’s Disease Brain Network Findings
• 04:05–04:48 — Ski Mountaineering Debuts at the Winter Olympics
• 04:48–04:53 — Wall Street Market Snapshot

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This rapid-fire news episode packs a mix of politics, local and international affairs, science, sports, and finance—showcased with sharp reporting, notable direct quotes, and context for each developing story.

Transcript

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[Jeanine Herbst]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Jeanine Herbst. President Trump delivered a part pro religion and part campaign speech at the National Prayer breakfast in Washington, D.C. this morning. NPR's Franco Ordonez has more.

[Franco Ordonez]

Trump says religion is back and, quote, hotter than ever, while boasting that he's the greatest supporter of the faith community among modern day presidents. But much of his speech was classic off script remarks where he riffed of his accomplishments and lashed out at political enemies like Republican Congressman Thomas Massie of Kentucky, who Trump called a moron who always voted against House legislation.

[Donald Trump]

There's something wrong with him. We call him Rand Paul Jr. You know, it's like they just vote no.

[Franco Ordonez]

It's the sixth time Trump has addressed the annual Faith Based Breakfast, which brings together lawmakers from both parties as well as some global leaders. Franco Ordonez and Pierre News officials in.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Minnesota say The drawdown of 700 federal immigration officials is a good beginning, but that much more needs to be done. Border czar Tom Homan says further withdrawals depend on local cooperation. NPR's Meg Anderson reports.

[Meg Anderson]

Homan zeroed in on the cooperation of sheriffs who often hold undocumented immigrants for ICE in their jails. In Henneman county, where Minneapolis is located, the sheriff's office already holds people temporarily for ice. If federal agents have a signed judicial warrant, they do not honor administrative detainers, which is when ICE asks a jail to hold someone but doesn't have that warrant signed by a judge. But Hennepin County Sheriff Dewana Witt told NPR she's considering changing that policy if.

[Dewana Witt]

That were to change. And that's a if, right? You're going to have to show me how it's going to make Hennepin county residents safer and you're going to have to actually act good on what you say.

[Meg Anderson]

Witt says she has had, quote, healthy conversations with Homan and expects them to continue. Meg Anderson, NPR News, Minneapolis.

[Jeanine Herbst]

A top Chinese official says Beijing's against foreign interference in Cuba. NPR's Emily Fang reports.

[Emily Fang]

In an oblique reference to the US's ousting of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, China's Wang Huning, who was on the party's elite standing committee, said Beijing was against all foreign interference in Cuba. In return, Cuba's president, Miguel Diaz Canel thanked China for its quote, selfless assistance. The Trump administration has been blocking most oil imports to Cuba, saying it's a national security threat. That's caused the United nations security General Antonio Guterres to warn of a potential humanitarian crisis as energy stocks run low on the island. China's been critical of the US's involvement in both Venezuela and Cuba. Cuba and China are both run by Communist officials, and China's top leader, Xi Jinping, met with Cuba's DS Canal twice last year. Emily Fang and PEER News.

[Jeanine Herbst]

You're listening to NPR News from Washington. New research suggests that Parkinson's disease disrupts a critical network in the brain. NPR's John Hamilton has more on a study in the journal Nature.

[John Hamilton]

Scientists use data from more than 800 MRI scans to compare healthy brains with those affected by Parkinson's. They found that in Parkinson's, a network that connects thoughts with actions was disrupted. He Sheng Lu of the Changpeng Laboratory in Beijing says that means signals are having trouble getting from one brain area to another.

[He Sheng Lu]

It almost feels like a tunnel is jammed so no traffic can go normally.

[John Hamilton]

The finding helps explain why symptoms of Parkinson's often go beyond movement problems like tremor and difficulty walking. The disrupted network includes brain areas that can cause constipation, sleep disorders and even memory lapses. John Hamilton, NPR News.

[Jeanine Herbst]

The Winter Olympics are featuring a new sport for the first time in more than 30 years. While the Games regularly add events within existing disciplines, they haven't introduced an entirely new sport since the return of skeleton in 2002. But that changes this year with the debut of ski mountaineering, also known as ski mo. The sport involves hiking up and then skiing down a mountain, and it features three events, one women's sprint, men's sprint and mixed relay. That's in addition to five brand new competitions in the longtime Winter Olympic sports. For a grand total of eight new medal opportunities at this year's Games. Wall Street's trading lower at this hour. The dow is down 360 points, NASDAQ down 212. I'm Jeanine Herbst, NPR News in Washington.

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