NPR News: 02-07-2026 8PM EST
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What significant water contamination event is explored in New Hampshire?
This message comes from the Pulitzer finalist NHPR team. Their new four-part series, Safe to Drink, investigates one of the largest water contamination events in New Hampshire's history and the people who fought for answers. Follow Safe to Drink wherever you're listening.
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Janine Hurst. The U.S. and Iran held indirect talks in Oman yesterday over Tehran's nuclear program, which it says is for peaceful purposes. Iran's foreign minister says after the six-hour meeting, both sides want another round of talks, but so far, no date's been set. NPR's Jane Araf has more.
U.S. Envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump's son-in-law, Jared Kirshner, were there. They were communicating with Iran's foreign minister, but through Al-Mani officials. Now, Iran says these talks were lengthy and intensive, but really the most important thing is that they met at all, because it's really given breathing room to regional tension. Trump had threatened military strikes. Iran had said if that happened, it could spark regional war.
NPR's Jane Araf reporting. The Office of Personnel Management has issued a final rule giving President Trump the authority to reclassify some federal workers as at-will employees, which means they can be fired for any reason.
What recent developments occurred in U.S.-Iran nuclear talks?
NPR's Andrea Hsu reports it's a change Trump has pushed for since the end of his first term.
The new rule gives President Trump the power to move federal employees in, quote, policy influencing roles into a new category of employees who can be fired for any reason. The administration says the rule will make it easier for agencies to get rid of poor performers and also those who are intentionally obstructing the president's agenda. The government previously estimated some 50,000 positions could be moved. Currently, only 4,000 political appointees can be fired at will. While agencies can recommend positions to be reclassified, Trump will make the final decision. Trump's critics say the change will take the country back to a spoil system that existed in the 1800s, one marked by corruption, incompetence and ineffective government.
Andrea Hsu, NPR News.
New federal data show most of the western U.S. is now in the grips of its warmest, driest winter in decades. And Pierce Kirksegler reports the worsening drought is prompting environmental and economic concerns.
The western states that are in the worst shape are Colorado, Utah, and Oregon. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, statewide snowpack there is only about 50% of average, and that's only at high altitudes. Some ski areas have closed prematurely, but in the west, where the snowpack acts as the main water storage reservoir, cities and farmers are even more on edge. If things don't turn around, especially at lower altitudes, NOAA says the wildfire risk will be even more severe going into spring. Climate scientists point to a warm-weather blob stuck in the Pacific Ocean, possibly related to rapid melting in the Arctic, that's caused it to be unseasonably warm from Montana to California for weeks now.
Kirk Ziegler, NPR News, Los Angeles.
You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says the Pentagon is cutting ties with Harvard University, ending all military training, fellowships and certificate programs with the school. It's the latest development in President Trump's standoff with Harvard over his demands for reforms at the Ivy League school. Hegseth says the school filled officers' heads with, quote, globalist and radical ideologies that don't improve our fighting ranks. He says personnel currently attending classes at Harvard will be able to finish those courses and that similar programs at other schools will be evaluated in the coming weeks. At the Winter Olympics in Milan, host country Italy has claimed its first gold medal.
As NPR's Ping Huang reports, it was a decisive victory in speed skating.
On her birthday, in her home country, Italian speed skater Francesca Lollobrigida powered through seven and a half laps on the long track course.
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