News
Columbia students barricade themselves in campus building; China's EV vehicles
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Today’s top stories
Student protesters at Columbia University have begun occupying at least one building this morning after the school gave them a deadline yesterday to leave their encampment by 2:00 p.m. or face suspension. The students say they won’t leave until the school divests from investments in companies operating in Israel.
Demonstrators supporting Palestinians in Gaza barricade themselves inside Hamilton Hall, where the office of the dean is located, on April 30 in New York City.
Alex Kent/Getty Images
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Alex Kent/Getty Images

Demonstrators supporting Palestinians in Gaza barricade themselves inside Hamilton Hall, where the office of the dean is located, on April 30 in New York City.
Alex Kent/Getty Images
- NPR’s Brian Mann says “things changed fast” after he reported on Up First yesterday that both sides were working on de-escalation. One of the major groups that organized this protest said in a statement that their main encampment is peaceful and separate from the group of students occupying Hamilton Hall, but said the students’ actions were “justified.” As school graduations loom, Mann says universities nationwide are “really struggling” to end these protests without resorting to police force.
Charlotte, N.C., is mourning one of the deadliest days for law enforcement in the city’s history. Three U.S. Marshals and a local police officer were shot and killed yesterday while serving a warrant for weapons charges. Another Marshall and three police officers were wounded. The suspect was also killed. (via WFAE)
- In the last three decades, there have been two incidents where multiple officers were killed in North Carolina, Kenneth Lee with NPR network station WFAE in Charlotte reports. The city’s police chief choked up as he described Joshua Eyer, one of the slain officers who was recently awarded Officer of the Month. An investigation is ongoing as police try to put together what happened and why.
A federal appeals court has ruled that state health insurance plans in West Virginia and North Carolina must cover gender-affirming care. In oral arguments, judges asked about procedures like mastectomies, which are covered for women enrolled in these state plans but not covered for transgender patients. Judge Roger Gregory, writing the majority opinion, called the denial of coverage “obviously discriminatory.”
Today’s listen
The Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, or Auto China 2024, in Beijing, China.
Stefen Chow
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Stefen Chow

The Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, or Auto China 2024, in Beijing, China.
Stefen Chow
NPR’s Steve Inskeep recently attended this year’s Beijing auto show, which he called “like the Super Bowl, except for cars.” The latest electric vehicles were displayed there, spotlighting the newest front of competition between the U.S. and China. Steve spoke with Tu Le, who writes a newsletter called Sino Auto Insights.
Listen to why American carmakers will need to improve their game to compete with the global electric vehicle market.
Life advice
Photo illustration by Becky Harlan/Getty Images/NPR

Photo illustration by Becky Harlan/Getty Images/NPR
In the U.S., many weddings occur between May and October, when the warmer, sunnier weather is ideal for outdoor ceremonies. My husband and I attended eight weddings during these months last year. We got married three months ago and have four more weddings to attend this year. If you find yourself in our shoes, this Dear Life Kit episode will help you navigate wedding etiquette as a guest, couple or parent.
- Guests don’t have to spend what the couple spent on them. The average person spends $120 on a gift.
- Your plus-one shouldn’t be expected to chip in for the gift.
- Couples should avoid telling guests how much they spent. It could make guests feel guilty.
- The rule that the bride’s family should pay for the wedding is outdated. Sit down with both families to decide who should be in charge of what.
3 things to know before you go
Valentine’s Mascara by street artist Banksy, on the side of a house in Margate, England.
William Edwards/AFP via Getty Images
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William Edwards/AFP via Getty Images

Valentine’s Mascara by street artist Banksy, on the side of a house in Margate, England.
William Edwards/AFP via Getty Images
- What happens when Banksy graces your property with one of his works? While some property owners try to turn a profit from the street artist’s murals, others have carried the intense and costly responsibility of protecting them.
- The World Health Organization says its latest global measles numbers are “very concerning.” The first several months of 2024 have seen nearly 100,000 measles cases.
- Scientists have discovered a way to restore brain cells impaired by a life-threatening genetic disorder called Timothy syndrome. The approach may help researchers develop treatments for other genetic conditions, including the ones that cause schizophrenia, epilepsy and ADHD.
This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi.
News
Bill Clinton to testify before House committee investigating Epstein links
Former president Bill Clinton is scheduled to give deposition Friday to a congressional committee investigating his links to Jeffrey Epstein, one day after Hillary Clinton testified before the committee and called the proceedings “partisan political theatre” and “an insult to the American people”.
During remarks before the House oversight committee, Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state, insisted on Thursday that she had never met Epstein.
The former Democratic president, however, flew on Epstein’s private jet several times in the early 2000s but said he never visited his island.
Clinton, who engaged in an extramarital affair while president and has been accused of sexual misconduct by three women, also appears in a photo from the recently released files, in a hot tub with Epstein and a woman whose identity is redacted.
Clinton has denied the sexual misconduct claims and was not charged with any crimes. He also has not been accused of any wrongdoing connected to Epstein.
Epstein visited the White House at least 17 times during the early years of Clinton’s presidency, according to White House visitor records cited in news reports. Clinton said he cut ties with him around 2005, before the disgraced financier, who died from suicide in 2019, pleaded guilty to solicitation of a minor in Florida.
The House committee subpoenaed the Clintons in August. They initially refused to testify but agreed after Republicans threatened to hold them in contempt.
The Clintons asked for their depositions to be held publicly, with the former president stating that to do so behind closed doors would amount to a “kangaroo court”.
“Let’s stop the games + do this the right way: in a public hearing,” Clinton said on X earlier this month.
The committee’s chair, James Comer, did not grant their request, and the proceedings will be conducted behind closed doors with video to be released later.
On Thursday, Hillary Clinton’s proceedings were briefly halted after representative Lauren Boebert leaked an image of Clinton testifying.
During the full day deposition, Clinton said she had no information about Epstein and did not recall ever meeting him.
Before the deposition, Comer said it would be a long interview and that one with Bill Clinton would be “even longer”.
News
Read Judge Schiltz’s Order
CASE 0:26-cv-00107-PJS-DLM
Doc. 12-1 Filed 02/26/26
Page 5 of 17
and to file a status update by 11:00 am on January 20. ECF No. 5. Respondents never provided a bond hearing and did not release Petitioner until January 21, ECF Nos. 10, 12, after failing to file an update, ECF No. 9. Further, Respondents released Petitioner subject to conditions despite the Court’s release order not providing for conditions. ECF Nos. 5, 12–13.
Abdi W. v. Trump, et al., Case No. 26-CV-00208 (KMM/SGE)
On January 21, 2026, the Court ordered Respondents, within 3 days, to either (a) complete Petitioner’s inspection and examination and file a notice confirming completion, or (b) release Petitioner immediately in Minnesota and confirm the date, time, and location of release. ECF No. 7. No notice was ever filed. The Court emailed counsel on January 27, 2026, at 10:39 am. No response was provided.
Adriana M.Y.M. v. David Easterwood, et al., Case No. 26-CV-213 (JWB/JFD)
On January 24, 2026, the Court ordered immediate release in Minnesota and ordered Respondents to confirm the time, date, and location of release, or anticipated release, within 48 hours. ECF No. 12. Respondent was not released until January 30, and Respondents never disclosed the time of release, instead describing it as “early this morning.” ECF No. 16.
Estefany J.S. v. Bondi, Case No. 26-CV-216 (JWB/SGE)
On January 13, 2026, at 10:59 am, the Court ordered Respondents to file a letter by 4:00 pm confirming Petitioner’s current location. ECF No. 8. After receiving no response, the Court ordered Respondents, at 5:11 pm, to immediately confirm Petitioner’s location and, by noon on January 14, file a memorandum explaining their failure to comply with the initial order. ECF No. 9. Respondents did not file the memorandum, requiring the Court to issue another order. ECF No. 12. On January 15, the Court ordered immediate release in Minnesota and required Respondents to confirm the time, date, and location of release within 48 hours. ECF No. 18. On January 20, having received no confirmation, the Court ordered Respondents to comply immediately. ECF No. 21. Respondents informed the Court that Petitioner was released in Minnesota on January 17, but did not specify the time. ECF No. 22.
5
News
Chicagoans pay respects to Jesse Jackson as cross-country memorial services begin
James Hickman holds a photo montage of the late Rev. Jesse Jackson before a public visitation at Rainbow/PUSH Coalition in Chicago on Thursday.
Nam Y. Huh/AP
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Nam Y. Huh/AP
CHICAGO — A line of mourners streamed through a Chicago auditorium Thursday to pay final respects to the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. as cross-country memorial services began in the city the late civil rights leader called home.
The protege of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and two-time presidential candidate will lie in repose for two days at the headquarters of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition before events in Washington, D.C., and South Carolina, where he was born.
Family members wiped away tears as the casket was brought into the stately brick building. Flowers lined the sidewalks where people waiting to enter watched a large screen playing video excerpts of Jackson’s notable speeches. Some raised their fists in solidarity.
The casket with the Rev. Jesse Jackson arrives before a public visitation at Rainbow/PUSH Coalition in Chicago on Thursday.
Nam Y. Huh/AP
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Nam Y. Huh/AP
Inside, Jackson’s children, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson and the Rev. Al Sharpton were among those who stood by the open casket to shake hands and hug those coming to view the body of Jackson, dressed in a suit and blue shirt and tie.
“The challenge for us is that we’ve got to make sure that all he lived for was not in vain,” Sharpton told reporters. “Dr. King’s dream and Jesse Jackson’s mission now falls on our shoulders. We’ve got to stand up and keep it going.”
The Rev. Al Sharpton speaks as Jesse Jackson Jr. listens after the public visitation for the Rev. Jesse Jackson at Rainbow/PUSH Coalition in Chicago on Thursday.
Nam Y. Huh/AP
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Nam Y. Huh/AP
Jackson died last week at age 84 after battling a rare neurological disorder that affected his mobility and ability to speak in his later years.
Remembrances have already poured in from around the globe, and several U.S. states, including Minnesota, Iowa and North Carolina, are flying flags at half-staff in his honor.
But perhaps nowhere has his death been felt as strongly as in the nation’s third-largest city, where Jackson lived for decades and raised his six children, including a son who is a congressman.
Bouquets have been left outside the family’s Tudor-style home on the city’s South Side for days. Public schools have offered condolences, and city trains have used digital screens to display Jackson’s portrait and his well-known mantra, “I am Somebody!”
People wait to enter the security checkpoint for the public visitation for the Rev. Jesse Jackson at Rainbow/PUSH Coalition in Chicago on Thursday.
Nam Y. Huh/AP
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Nam Y. Huh/AP
His causes, both in the United States and abroad, were countless: Advocating for the poor and underrepresented on issues including voting rights, job opportunities, education and health care. He scored diplomatic victories with world leaders, and through his Rainbow PUSH Coalition, he channeled cries for Black pride and self-determination into corporate boardrooms, pressuring executives to make America a more open and equitable society.


“We honor him, and his hard-earned legacy as a freedom fighter, philosopher, and faithful shepherd of his family and community here in Chicago,” the mayor said in a statement.
Next week, Jackson will lie in honor at the South Carolina Statehouse, followed by public services. According to Rainbow PUSH’s agenda, Gov. Henry McMaster is expected to deliver remarks; however, the governor’s office said Thursday that his participation wasn’t yet confirmed. Jackson spent his childhood and started his activism in South Carolina.
Details on services in Washington have not yet been made public. However, he will not lie in honor at the United States Capitol rotunda after a request for the commemoration was denied by the House Speaker Mike Johnson’s office.
The two weeks of events will wrap up next week with a large celebration of life gathering at a Chicago megachurch and finally, homegoing services at the headquarters of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
Family members said the services will be open to all.
“Our family is overwhelmed and overjoyed by the amazing amount of support being offered by common, ordinary people who our father’s life has come into contact with,” his eldest son, Jesse Jackson Jr., said before the services began. “This is a unique opportunity to lay down some of the political rhetoric and to lay down some of the division that deeply divides our country and to reflect upon a man who brought people together.”
The family of the Rev. Jesse Jackson arrives as Yusep Jackson wipes his eyes before public visitation at Rainbow/PUSH Coalition in Chicago on Thursday.
Nam Y. Huh/AP
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Nam Y. Huh/AP
The services included prayers from some of the city’s most well-known religious leaders, including Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich. Mourners of all ages — from toddlers in strollers to elderly people in wheelchairs — came to pay respects.
Video clips of his appearances at news conferences, the campaign trail and even “Sesame Street” also played inside the auditorium.
Claudette Redic, a retiree who lives in Chicago, said her family has respected Jackson, from backing his presidential ambitions to her son getting a scholarship from a program Jackson championed.
“We have generations of support,” she said. “I’m hoping we continue.”
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