Trump Rebukes Intel Chiefs; Border Security Talks; Unrest In Venezuela

Plus, the FBI has found no motive in the 2017 Las Vegas killing rampage. [NPR] by Korva Coleman and Jill Hudson First Up [Icicles form on the walkway at North Avenue Beach of Lake Michigan in Chicago on Tuesday.]( Pinar Istek/Reuters Here’s what we are following today. Life-threatening cold weather is setting records as it descends on the Midwest. [Airlines have canceled thousands of flights]( and the governors of Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois have declared states of emergency. The U.S. Postal Service is [shutting down mail delivery]( in parts of the Great Plains and Midwest. President Trump complained on Wednesday that his chiefs of the intelligence services were too "passive" and "naive" after a Senate hearing that underscored how often the White House rejects their assessments. The president tweeted that [CIA Director Gina Haspel and the other heads of the spy services]( "should go back to school!" Border security talks begin today on Capitol Hill. Bipartisan negotiators will hold their [first, and maybe only, public meeting]( to discuss what kind of physical barriers are needed and how much Congress should spend to address national security issues at the southwest border. They are facing a Feb. 15 deadline to come up with a spending bill the president will sign to avoid another shutdown. The FBI has found no motive in the 2017 Las Vegas killing rampage. In the end, the FBI determined that the 64-year-old shooter, who rained a hail of bullets from a window of the [Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino]( into a crowd of concertgoers, was not driven by a religious, social or political agenda, nor did he have an accomplice to help him carry out his mission. Don’t go to Venezuela. That’s the State Department’s advice to American travelers, citing crime, civil unrest and the arbitrary detention of U.S. citizens. [Widespread protests are expected today]( after opposition leader Juan Guaidó urged supporters to take to the streets and demand that sitting President Nicolás Maduro step down. Hours before the protest, President Trump called Guaidó and reinforced his support. Oil prices also have started to climb in the U.S. now that sanctions have kicked in. Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams will give the Democratic response to President Trump's State of the Union address next week. Abrams became [a rising star within the Democratic Party]( as she was trying to become the nation's first African-American female governor last year. --------------------------------------------------------------- The Daily Good Can this 13-year-old science entrepreneur help solve the Flint water crisis? [13-year-old Gitanjali Rao with her lead detection device named Tethys. Rao was named America's top young scientist in 2017 and one of Forbes' 30 under 30 in 2019.]( Michael Elizabeth Sakas/CPR News Gitanjali Rao is already on the [2019 Forbes 30 Under 30 list]( she hasn't even made it to high school yet. Her invention named Tethys, after the Greek Titan goddess of clean water, is [a small, portable device that tests for lead in drinking water](. Rao was moved to create it after reading about the Flint water crisis, and she's now getting help from water-industry scientists to create a working prototype that could eventually be on the market. --------------------------------------------------------------- Digging Deeper Searching for anger’s animal roots. Can a fruit fly get angry? And if so, is it anything like the anger expressed by comedian Lewis Black, who is famous for ranting onstage about things he finds unfair or infuriating? As part of NPR’s series on anger, Black and Jon Hamilton explore the biological roots of a powerful emotion with a bad reputation. For Black, being angry is a job. But scientists have found that [you don't have to be human to get mad](. CalTech neurobiologist David Anderson says anger is a trait shared with most multicellular animals, like fruit flies. "They fight over females, they fight over food, they threaten each other, they put their wings up in the air, they charge at each other," he says. There's strong evidence that animals experience some sort of internal state that drives aggressive behavior that can help them survive, such as when squirrels attack other squirrels to retrieve stolen nuts. But people facing the brunt of someone's anger can get hurt. Black says when he's performing, he tries to make sure his audience doesn't get enraged. And if his flight home is delayed, he stays calm. "Here's a million-dollar tip," Black confides. "You sit on that anger, and you just empathize with the person whose job it is to deal with you." --------------------------------------------------------------- The Picture Show Instant photos that capture Tiny Desk artists offstage. [Left to right: Lalah Hathaway, Thundercat, Jorja Smith.]( Eslah Attar/NPR When musicians visit NPR to perform in our Tiny Desk concert series, we occasionally use the opportunity to have a little fun. Photographer Eslah Attar created this [series of instant film portraits]( of Thundercat, Jorja Smith, the late Mac Miller and other musicians captured just moments after they performed. --------------------------------------------------------------- Before You Go [Principal Brian McCann sings a snow-day tune in Swansea, Mass.]( YouTube - As temperatures plummet, school administrators from Michigan to Mississippi are finding creative ways to announce snow days. [Some of their music videos have gone viral](. - Chicago police say they’re investigating [a possible hate crime]( against Empire actor Jussie Smollett. - Two-time Grammy winner [James Ingram]( whose signature timbre instantly evokes the classic R&B sound of the 1980s, died Tuesday at age 66. - A new survey has found that [e-cigarette users have a higher risk of stroke](. --------------------------------------------------------------- What do you think of today's email? We'd love to hear your thoughts, questions and feedback: [dailynewsletter@npr.org](mailto:dailynewsletter@npr.org?subject=Newsletter%20Feedback) Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can [sign up here](. Looking for more great content? [Check out all of our newsletter offerings]( — including Music, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to our Daily News emails. | [Unsubscribe]( | [Privacy Policy]( | NPR 1111 N. CAPITOL ST. NE WASHINGTON DC 20002 [NPR]