NPR News: 01-28-2026 4PM EST
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What happened during the recent shooting involving immigration officers?
Live from NPR News, I'm Lakshmi Singh. The two immigration officers involved in Saturday's deadly shooting of 37-year-old Alex Preddy are on administrative leave. NPR's Ximena Bustillo reports Customs and Border Protection says this is standard protocol.
The announcement comes after CBP's initial review found that the officers shot Preddy after he resisted their efforts to take him into custody. The agency's preliminary assessment contradicted the Trump administration's first narrative about the shooting, which accused Preddy of, quote, domestic terrorism and brandishing his weapon. It is not immediately clear how long the officer's leave will last. CBP and state officials are both investigating the shooting. It is also under review by the Office of the Inspector General at the Department of Homeland Security.
What decisions did the Federal Reserve make regarding interest rates?
Ximena Bustillo, NPR News, Washington.
Preddy's death in Minneapolis occurred just weeks after Rene Good also died from a shooting by a nice agent. There will be no reduction in borrowing costs, at least not before mid-March in the U.S. The Federal Reserve ended its latest two-day meeting this afternoon with a decision to keep the benchmark interest rates steady. Fed Chair Jerome Powell says inflation has been somewhat elevated while overall economic activity is expanding at a solid pace. Powell homed in on the labor market where he says job gains remained weak.
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.
How is the U.S. administration engaging with Venezuela's leaders?
Other indicators, including openings, layoffs, hiring and nominal wage growth, show little change in recent months.
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. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says the administration is having very respectful and productive talks with Venezuela's interim leaders. He made the comment at a Senate hearing where some Democrats warn that the U.S. has traded one Venezuelan dictator for another. Here's NPR's Michelle Kellerman.
Secretary Rubio is defending the January military raid that ousted Nicolas Maduro and left in place the Venezuelan Vice President, Delce Rodriguez. He says the end state is still a democracy, but that will take time, and he sees no need for any future military action.
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'll see in Venezuela is our Marine Guards at an embassy.
He wants to reopen an embassy soon. Democrats pressed him on contracts that Trump donors have gotten to move Venezuelan oil. Rubio called that a short-term fix and said the goal is to get Venezuela to have a normal energy program. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, the State Department.
The Dow has ended the day up 12 points. This is NPR News. New research shows how hormone therapy for menopause can affect brain health. Women who take hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, have faster reaction times. NPR's Alison Aubrey reports that suggests a benefit for cognitive health.
What are the effects of hormone therapy on women's brain health?
Dr. Christelle Langley of the University of Cambridge analyzed data from about 125,000 women and found those who took hormone replacement to restore estrogen had less psychomotor slowing. For example, their reaction times on memory tests or quizzes was faster.
Those women that were on HRT were able to respond much faster and much more similarly to those premenopausal women.
HRT did not help improve anxiety or sleep issues. Research shows physical activity, healthy diet and limiting alcohol can also help manage the effects of the menopause transition. Alison Aubrey, NPR News.
With tax filing season now open to millions of taxpayers in the U.S., the nation's official
What challenges are taxpayers facing this filing season?
Taxpayer advocate Erin Collins released a report to Congress today projecting significant challenges.
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Chapters
6 chapters
1
What happened during the recent shooting involving immigration officers?
0:01–0:47
2
What decisions did the Federal Reserve make regarding interest rates?
0:47–1:35
3
How is the U.S. administration engaging with Venezuela's leaders?
1:35–3:18
4
What are the effects of hormone therapy on women's brain health?
3:18–4:03
5
What challenges are taxpayers facing this filing season?
4:03–4:37
6
What is the current status of the stock market at the end of this episode?
4:37–4:38