News
Up First from NPR: Minnesota Protests, Zelenskyy Slams Europe In Davos, Winter Storm Approaches
In Minnesota, protests and business closures spread as immigration operations continue and confrontations with federal agents intensify.<br>At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Ukraine’s president delivers a blunt message to Europe, warning that the continent must stop relying on the U.S. and prepare to defend itself as Russia’s war grinds on.<br>And across the U.S., states are bracing for a massive winter storm threatening millions of people with dangerous weather conditions.<br/><br/><em>Want more analysis of the most important news of the day, plus a little fun? </em><a href="https://www.npr.org/newsletter/news"target="_blank" >Subscribe</a><em> to the Up First newsletter.<br></em><p class="readrate">Today’s episode of Up First was edited by Eric Westervelt, Willem Marx, Russell Lewis, Mohamad ElBardicy, and Alice Woelfle.<p class="readrate"><p class="readrate">It was produced by Ziad Buchh, Ben Abrams and Christopher Thomas.<p class="readrate"><p class="readrate">We get engineering support from Neisha Heinis. Our technical director is Carleigh Strange.<p class="readrate"><p class="readrate">Our Executive Producer is Jay Shaylor.<br><p class="readrate">(0:00) Introduction<br>(01:55) Minnesota Protests<br>(05:28) Zelenskyy Slams Europe In Davos<br>(09:00) Winter Storm Approaches <br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>
The NPR Politics Podcast: Jack Smith defends Trump investigations and Trump backs off Greenland threat
It was another busy week in politics. We discuss former special counsel Jack Smith’s appearance before the House Judiciary Committee — the first time he testified publicly about his investigations into President Trump — and Trump’s announcement of a new “framework” related to Greenland.<br/><br/>This episode: political correspondent Ashley Lopez, justice correspondent Carrie Johnson, White House correspondent Franco Ordoñez, and senior political editor and correspondent Domenico Montanaro.<br/><br/><em>This podcast was produced by Bria Suggs and edited by Rachel Baye.</em><br/><br/><em>Our executive producer is Muthoni Muturi.</em><br/><br/><em>Listen to every episode of the NPR Politics Podcast sponsor-free, unlock access to bonus episodes with more from the NPR Politics team, and support public media when you sign up for The NPR Politics Podcast+ at </em><a href="http://plus.npr.org/politics"target="_blank" ><em>plus.npr.org/politics</em></a><em>.</em><br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>
Talk and Interview
Fresh Air: A Mel Brooks Appreciation!
<p dir="ltr">He’s the subject of a new two-part HBO documentary by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio called ‘Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!’ It looks at his origins in Brooklyn, his service in WWII, his EGOT-winning comedy career and lifelong friendship with Carl Reiner. We’re returning to our 1991 and 2001 interviews with Brooks. He told Terry Gross about why he loves mixing bad taste and high production value. <p dir="ltr">Also, film critic Justin Chang reviews the Oscar-nominated German film ‘Sound of Falling.’ <br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>
Science Friday: Tracking The Toxic Fallout Of The LA Fires
<p>This time last year, Los Angeles was on fire, and more than 16,000 homes and buildings burned to the ground. Cars, batteries, solar panels, insulation, and cleaning supplies went up in flames, <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/la-fires-anniversary-toxic-fallout/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank">releasing chemicals</a> like lead, benzene, and asbestos into giant smoke plumes that wafted across the city.</p><p>A year later, scientists are trying to understand the <a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/la-fires-anniversary-toxic-fallout/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank">fallout of this urban wildfire</a>—what chemicals got left behind, how to remediate them, and the threats to our health. Host Flora Lichtman talks with Yifang Zhu and Francois Tissot, who are at the forefront of this research. And for one of them, this work is personal.</p><p>Guests:<br />Dr. François Tissot is a professor of geochemistry at Caltech in Pasadena, California. <br />Dr. Yifang Zhu is a professor of environmental health sciences at the University of California, Los Angeles.</p><p><i>Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at </i><a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/segments/la-fires-anniversary-toxic-fallout/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank"><i>sciencefriday.com.</i></a></p> <p><p><a href="https://pod.link/73329284" target="_blank"><i>Subscribe to this podcast.</i></a><i> Plus, to stay updated on all things science, </i><a href="https://www.sciencefriday.com/newsletters/?utm_source=wnyc&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=scifri" target="_blank"><i><strong>sign up for Science Friday's newsletters</strong></i></a><i>.</i></p></p>
1A: The News Roundup For January 23, 2026
ICE is continuing its Minnesota crackdown. This week, agents were reportedly <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/22/us-citizens-racial-profiling-ice"target="_blank" >targeting members of the public based on race.</a> Now, state officials are asking federal judges to end the agency’s campaign in their communities, despite the administration <a href="https://pds.cdnstream1.com/p/wamu/1a/01-22-2026-hour-2/audio.mp3"target="_blank" >asking those same judges to let them keep going.</a><br/><br/>The Department of Justice said in a recent court filing that Elon Musk’s DOGE team <a href="https://www.axios.com/2026/01/20/doge-employees-social-security-information-court-filing"target="_blank" >may have accessed private and off-limits social security data.</a><br/><br/>And the House Oversight Committee voted to hold Bill and Hillary Clinton in contempt of Congress <a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/01/21/nx-s1-5684152/bill-clinton-hillary-clinton-contempt-of-congress-vote"target="_blank" >after the pair ignored a summons to appear before a panel,</a> saying it was politically-motivated.<br/><br/>And, in global news, President Donald Trump claims he has <a href="http://wsj.com/livecoverage/greenland-trump-tariffs-trade-eu?mod=WSJ_home_mediumtopper_pos_1"target="_blank" >the framework of a deal</a> in place with NATO for control of Greenland.<br/><br/>Despite that possibility, the president heavily criticized European leaders <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/world/europe/trump-davos-greenland-threats-allies-europe-canada-carney-speech-rcna255155"target="_blank" >in a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland this week.</a> Now, America’s traditional allies are reportedly grappling with what the future might hold for the West.<br/><br/>President Trump also met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, <a href="https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/22/russia-ukraine-peace-talks-down-to-one-issue-says-us-envoy-witkoff"target="_blank" >touted the progress his team has made with Russian leaders</a> in finding a solution to the war in Ukraine.<br/><br/>We cover the most important stories from around the globe on the News Roundup.<br/><br/><em>Find more of our programs </em><a href="https://the1a.org/shows"target="_blank" ><em>online</em></a><em>. Listen to 1A sponsor-free by signing up for 1A+ at </em><a href="http://plus.npr.org/the1a"target="_blank" ><em>plus.npr.org/the1a</em></a><em>.</em><br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>
On Point with Meghna Chakrabarti: Lauren Southern was an alt-right influencer. Now she's finding her 'way back to reality'
<p>A former right-wing influencer and tradwife tells all in her new memoir, "This is Not Real Life." From meeting with terrorists, neo-Nazis, political crime rings, to arrests, psychotic breaks and addiction, Lauren Southern shares how the life she thought she wanted ended up almost killing her.</p> <p>*** <span data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">Thank you for listening. Help power <em>On Point</em> by making a donation here: <a title="http://www.wbur.org/giveonpoint" href="http://www.wbur.org/giveonpoint" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-auth="NotApplicable" data-linkindex="0" data-olk-copy-source="MessageBody">www.wbur.org/giveonpoint</a></span></p>
Music
All Songs Considered: New Music Friday: The best albums out Jan. 23
Lucinda Williams. Julian Lage. The debut from rising Americana star Kashus Culpepper. Stephen Thompson from NPR Music chats with Jessie Scott from WMOT in Nashville about the best new albums out Friday, Jan. 23.<br/><br/>The Starting 5<br/><br/>(00:00) Intro: Cat Power, 'Redux' EP<br>(02:14) Lucinda Williams, 'World's Gone Wrong'<br>(07:36) Carolina Chocolate Drops, 'Genuine Negro Jig' (15th Anniversary Edition)<br>(15:19) Kashus Culpepper, 'Act I'<br>(20:00) The Lowest Pair, 'Always As Young As We'll Ever Be'<br>(25:29) Julian Lage, 'Scenes From Above'<br/><br/><br>The Lightning Round<br/><br/>- Ari Lennox, 'Vacancy'<br>- Sammy Brue, 'The Journals'<br>- V/A, 'Naive Melodies'<br>- Della Mae, 'Magic Accident'<br/><br/><br>Sample the albums via our New Music Friday playlist on <a href="https://www.npr.org/nx-s1-5684299"target="_blank" >NPR.org</a>.<br/><br/><br>Credits<br>Host: Stephen Thompson<br>Guest: Jessie Scott, WMOT<br>Audio Producer: Noah Caldwell<br>Digital Producer: Dora Levite<br>Editors: Otis Hart, Elle Mannion<br>Executive Producer: Suraya Mohamed<br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>
Fresh Air: A Mel Brooks Appreciation!
<p dir="ltr">He’s the subject of a new two-part HBO documentary by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio called ‘Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!’ It looks at his origins in Brooklyn, his service in WWII, his EGOT-winning comedy career and lifelong friendship with Carl Reiner. We’re returning to our 1991 and 2001 interviews with Brooks. He told Terry Gross about why he loves mixing bad taste and high production value. <p dir="ltr">Also, film critic Justin Chang reviews the Oscar-nominated German film ‘Sound of Falling.’ <br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>
Fun and Sports
Fresh Air: A Mel Brooks Appreciation!
<p dir="ltr">He’s the subject of a new two-part HBO documentary by Judd Apatow and Michael Bonfiglio called ‘Mel Brooks: The 99 Year Old Man!’ It looks at his origins in Brooklyn, his service in WWII, his EGOT-winning comedy career and lifelong friendship with Carl Reiner. We’re returning to our 1991 and 2001 interviews with Brooks. He told Terry Gross about why he loves mixing bad taste and high production value. <p dir="ltr">Also, film critic Justin Chang reviews the Oscar-nominated German film ‘Sound of Falling.’ <br/><br/>Learn more about sponsor message choices: <a href="https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices">podcastchoices.com/adchoices</a><br/><br/><a href="https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy">NPR Privacy Policy</a>