NPR News Now — 01-24-2026 10AM EST

Episode Overview

This episode of NPR News Now delivers a concise roundup of pressing national and international developments as of January 24, 2026. Key topics include the impact of an impending winter storm across the U.S., shifts in American military strategy, the Ukraine-Russia peace process, a significant opera retirement, and the resolution of TikTok’s U.S. ownership and data security concerns.

Major News Stories and Key Points

1. Severe Winter Storm Threatens Large Portions of the U.S.

[00:20 – 01:21]

• Storm Scope:
  A major storm is forecasted to bring snow and ice from Texas up through Maine, followed by a week of historically low temperatures.

• Grid Operator Prepares:
  PJM Interconnection expects record electricity demand exceeding 130,000 megawatts for seven consecutive days across 13 Midwestern and Mid-Atlantic states (serving 67 million people).

• Potential Risks:

  • PJM states power reserves are sufficient, but warns of possible localized outages due to weather-related damage (heavy snow, ice).
  • Notable Quote:
    "Tuesday is expected to set a new daily record when temperatures in some parts of the country could dip into the single digits." — Susan Phillips, WHYY [00:59]

2. Shifting U.S. Military Posture Toward Targeted Operations

[01:21 – 02:12]

• Tensions with Iran:

  • President Trump announced deployment of a U.S. armada near Iran, expressing hopes it won't be used.
  • Recent U.S. actions include a targeted raid to seize Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, exemplifying a preference for "surgical use of force" over large-scale ground wars.

• Contradictory Strategies?:

  • The current administration promotes operational lethality yet maintains America First rhetoric and aversion to prolonged foreign military commitments.
  • Notable Quote:
    "It can seem like a contradiction because at the same time...the Pentagon is pushing out this message of, let’s say, mess around and find out and lethality, Trump and many of the people in his administration have talked about kind of an America first isolationism." — Quill Lawrence, NPR [01:43]

3. Russia-Ukraine Conflict: Diplomatic Gridlock and Energy Attacks

[02:12 – 03:13]

• Escalating Hostilities:

  • Overnight, Russia launched airstrikes causing massive Ukrainian power outages (affecting ~1.2 million buildings amid subfreezing temperatures).

• Stalled Peace Talks:

  • Negotiations in the United Arab Emirates are frozen over Russia’s demand for all eastern Donbas.
  • Ukraine rejects such concessions and insists on strong Western security guarantees.
  • Both Ukrainian and U.S. (Trump administration) officials claim “progress,” but specifics remain unclear.
  • Notable Quote:
    "The Kremlin has ruled out any peace deal without Ukraine's surrender of the entire eastern Donbas region. That despite Moscow's forces failing to seize the territory in nearly four years of fighting." — Charles Maynes, NPR [02:39]

4. Denise Graves’s Farewell Performance at the Met

[03:13 – 04:10]

• End of an Era:

  • Legendary mezzo-soprano Denise Graves to give her final performance in “Porgy and Bess” at the Met today, capping a four-decade career.

• Post-Performance Plans:

  • She will focus on her foundation and stage directing.
  • Notable Quotes:
    "I'm very fulfilled. I've done the things that I've wanted to do." — Denise Graves [03:39]
    "Music...can transcend everything, race, socioeconomic status, language, and that's what I'm choosing to lean into." — Denise Graves [03:58]

5. TikTok Reaches Resolution with U.S., Gains American Investors

[04:14 – 04:58]

• Ownership Shift:

  • TikTok’s non-Chinese investors now include Oracle and Silverlake, both U.S.-based companies with ties to President Trump.

• Avoiding a Ban:

  • ByteDance (TikTok’s parent) will allow these partners to oversee a U.S. version of the app, embedding new data security safeguards based within Oracle’s cloud.
  • The move circumvents a threatened Congressional ban after a six-year legal and national security dispute.
  • Over 200 million Americans use TikTok.

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On the U.S. Military:
  "...an aversion to any boots on the ground or any responsibility sense of owning it just because you broke it to turn around the old Pottery Barn Rule." — Quill Lawrence, NPR [01:55]

• Denise Graves on Legacy:
  "Music...can transcend everything, race, socioeconomic status, language, and that's what I'm choosing to lean into." — Denise Graves [03:58]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Severe Winter Storm & Electric Grid: [00:20 – 01:21]
• Shift in U.S. Military Action: [01:21 – 02:12]
• Russia-Ukraine Update & Peace Talks: [02:12 – 03:13]
• Denise Graves Final Performance: [03:13 – 04:10]
• TikTok U.S. Deal Finalized: [04:14 – 04:58]

This episode succinctly covers the most urgent stories shaping U.S. and global headlines, highlighted by expert reporting and voices directly involved in the news.