NPR News: 02-12-2026 6PM EST
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. The Trump administration is eliminating the basis for much of the federal government's work on climate change. NPR's Jeff Brady reports the move comes as scientists say the last three years were the hottest on record.
The Environmental Protection Agency is eliminating its own finding that greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels endanger public health.
What recent changes has the Trump administration made regarding climate change policy?
The Obama-era endangerment finding allowed the EPA to regulate climate pollution from cars, power plants and the oil and gas industry. President Trump announced the change at the White House.
I'm pleased to be joined today by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, who you all know, and to announce the single largest deregulatory action in American history.
Environmental groups say the Trump EPA is violating the law and that the science behind the original endangerment finding is stronger than ever. They plan to challenge the decision in court. Jeff Brady, NPR News.
Top immigration officials testified before a Senate committee over immigration enforcement tactics that have come under scrutiny. Republican Chair Rand Paul played a video showing the events leading up to the second of two fatal shootings in Minneapolis, as NPR's Barbara Sprunt reports.
Officials from ICE and Customs and Border Protection said the investigation into the killing of Alex Preddy is ongoing. Paul paused the video at moments, saying he didn't see Preddy acting aggressively towards officers. I see nothing here. I mean, not even a hint of something that was aggressive on his part. Everything was retreat. Almost immediately after Pretty was killed, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said he committed an act of domestic terrorism. CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott told the committee he never described Pretty in those terms to Noem, nor was he aware of anyone in his agency doing so. Barbara Sprint, NPR News, Washington.
Annalilia Mejia has scored an upset in the Democratic primary of a special election to fill the congressional seat left vacant by New Jersey Governor Mikey Sherrill. according to a race call by the Associated Press. Kenneth Burns with member station WHYY reports.
Mejia bested former Congressman Tom Malinowski, who was aiming for a political comeback. This is despite Malinowski's name recognition and fundraising success. Mejia, a community organizer and daughter of immigrants, aligned herself with several progressive groups and politicians, including Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, and New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. She has also been staunch to her call to abolish ICE, especially in light of the agency's recent immigration enforcement tactics in Minnesota, where federal agents shot and killed two U.S. citizens. Mejia will now face the lone Republican in the special election, Randolph Township Mayor Joe Hathaway.
For NPR News, I'm Kenneth Burns.
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell last week, remaining within the historically healthy range of the past few years. Filings for unemployment benefits are viewed as representative of U.S. layoffs. You're listening to NPR News. Switzerland will hold a referendum on whether to cap its population at 10 million. The population is currently about 9.1 million. Supporters say the wealthy Alpine nation's natural resources, infrastructure and social safety net are being strained. Critics say Switzerland benefits from foreign-born labor and restrictions could violate its international commitments. A star in the nearby Andromeda galaxy has essentially vanished. NPR's Nell Greenfield-Boyce reports that some astronomers think it indicates the birth of a black hole.
Recently, some researchers were going through archival data from a NASA spacecraft to track any changes in the brightness of millions of stars over a 15-year period. And this one massive star really stood out as unusual. Kishaloy Day is an astronomer with Columbia University and the Flatiron Institute.
What we found was that somewhere around 2015, 2016 or so, it actually brightened in infrared light for about a year before it essentially plummeted and disappeared.
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