NPR News: 01-24-2026 9PM EST

Summary

NPR News Now: 5-Minute News Update

Episode: NPR News: 01-24-2026 9PM EST
Date: January 25, 2026
Host: Jeanine Herbst

Overview

This episode of NPR News Now provides a concise, five-minute roundup of the day’s most pressing news. Key stories include the fallout from a fatal shooting by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, a high-stakes Senate primary debate in Texas, a massive winter storm impacting much of the U.S., rising energy prices, and federal policy shifts in Puerto Rico’s energy infrastructure.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Fatal Shooting by Immigration Agents in Minneapolis

• Victim Identified as Alex Jeffrey Preddy
  • [00:15] Jeanine Herbst introduces the story, noting that Preddy was the second person killed by federal immigration agents in less than three weeks in Minneapolis.
  • [00:32] Meg Anderson details:
    • Preddy was a 37-year-old ICU nurse, U.S. citizen, and Minneapolis resident.
    • Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith commented at a news conference:
      • Senator Tina Smith: “If this can happen in Minnesota, it can happen in any community in the country.” [00:45]
    • The Trump administration referred to Preddy as a domestic terrorist, which Senator Smith disputed.
    • Mayor Jacob Frey requests National Guard support; guard members to wear yellow vests for identification.

Notable Quote:

“If this can happen in Minnesota, it can happen in any community in the country.” — Sen. Tina Smith [00:45]

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2. Texas Democratic Senate Debate: Immigration Takes Center Stage

• [01:19] Jeanine Herbst transitions to Texas, where Rep. Jasmine Crockett and Rep. James Talarico debated immigration, especially in the wake of the Minneapolis shooting.
• [01:33] Blaze Gainey recaps:
  • Immigration policy, especially ICE’s role and funding, was a central topic.
  • [01:50] During the debate, Talarico says:

    “ICE executed a man in broad daylight on our streets just this morning. It’s time to tear down this secret police force and replace it with an agency that actually is going to focus on public safety.” — James Talarico [01:51]

  • Crockett opposes further ICE funding and calls for comprehensive reform.

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3. Massive Winter Storm Impacts Central and Eastern U.S.

• [02:14] Jeanine Herbst reports on a major storm affecting over half the U.S. population.
  • Snow, sleet, and rain across the South; spread into Ohio, Tennessee, and Louisiana.
  • [02:31] Frank Morris:
    • Tens of thousands without power in Texas and Arkansas.
    • Risk of extended outages from Texas to Virginia.
    • Leon Craigel (Tulsa): “We will start plowing...but that’s probably looking more like Sunday afternoon before we can get to that point.” [02:51]
    • Thousands of flights canceled, mostly in the southeast and east coast.

Notable Quote:

“We will start plowing...but that’s probably looking more like Sunday afternoon before we can get to that point.” — Leon Craigel [02:51]

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4. Winter Storm Drives Up Natural Gas Prices and Threatens Refineries

• [03:12] Jeanine Herbst notes:
  • Natural gas prices up >50% this week as cold disrupts supply, causes production stoppages, and freezes infrastructure.
  • Possible gasoline shortages at refineries, though supplies currently stable.
  • Gas prices up only a few cents week-over-week.

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5. Trump Administration Cancels Solar Projects in Puerto Rico

• [03:31] The administration cancels solar initiatives despite recurring outages and grid failures.
  • [03:59] Windsor Johnston details:
    • Energy Department claims rapid rooftop solar expansion threatens grid stability.
    • Projects were intended for ~30,000 low-income rural households, as funded by a $1 billion program in 2022.
    • Context: Puerto Rico’s grid remains fragile since Hurricane Maria in 2017 and years of underinvestment.

Notable Quote:

“The rapid expansion of rooftop solar has created instability, arguing the grid cannot currently support widespread distributed solar power.” — Windsor Johnston [04:05]

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Memorable Moments & Quotes with Timestamps

• [00:45] Sen. Tina Smith: “If this can happen in Minnesota, it can happen in any community in the country.”
• [01:51] James Talarico: “ICE executed a man in broad daylight on our streets just this morning. It’s time to tear down this secret police force and replace it with an agency that actually is going to focus on public safety.”
• [02:51] Leon Craigel: “We will start plowing...but that’s probably looking more like Sunday afternoon before we can get to that point.”
• [04:05] Windsor Johnston: “The rapid expansion of rooftop solar has created instability, arguing the grid cannot currently support widespread distributed solar power.”

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• [00:15] Minneapolis shooting by federal immigration agents
• [01:19] Texas Democratic Senate debate on immigration and ICE
• [02:14] Winter storm impacts (weather & travel)
• [03:12] Energy price spike and refinery concerns
• [03:59] Puerto Rico solar project cancellations

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Summary:
This tightly-packed update covers critical and fast-moving stories, notably government action and responses around immigration enforcement, an intensifying winter storm’s nationwide impacts, shifting energy supplies and prices, and policy moves affecting renewable energy access in Puerto Rico. The episode serves as a concise but multifaceted briefing for listeners who need to stay current.

Transcript

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[Jeanine Herbst]

Live from npr news in washington i'm jeanine herbst minnesota officials identified the person shot and killed today in minneapolis as alex jeffrey pretty as npr's meg anderson reports he was the second person killed by federal immigration aid agents in less.

[Meg Anderson]

Than three weeks in a news conference with city officials u s senators amy klobuchar and tina smith named pretty as the shooting victim they said pretty was a thirty seven year old icu nurse a u s citizen and a minneapolis resident senator tina smith the trump administration has already called alex preddy a domestic terrorist he was a nurse she stressed that if this can happen in minnesota it can happen in any community in the country in the aftermath of the shooting mayor jacob fry requested that the governor deploy national guard members to support minneapolis police officers guard members will wear yellow safety vests to distinguish them from other entities on the ground meg anderson npr news minneapolis congresswoman jasmine crockett and.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Texas state representative james talarico faced off today in a debate that will factor into who will be the democratic party nominee in the us senate race the texas newsroom's blaze gainey has more being.

[Blaze Gainey]

A border state one of the constant themes in the question was around immigration laws this debate took place just hours after a man was killed by immigration law enforcement officers in minneapolis when asked what they would do about ice's funding and whether it should be abolished this is how talarico answered ice executed a.

[Frank Morris]

Man in broad daylight on our streets just this morning it's time to tear down this secret police force and replace it with an agency that actually is going to focus on public safety crockett.

[Blaze Gainey]

Voted against a house bill that provides more funding to ice this week she says the agency needs to be cleaned up from top to bottom for npr news i'm blaise gainey in austin the.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Enormous winter storm bearing down on more than half the population of the us is well underway snow sleet and rain have been falling across texas oklahoma and arkansas ohio working into tennessee and louisiana npr's frank morris reports crews could take days to clear the roads as it.

[Frank Morris]

Got underway the storm knocked out power to tens of thousands of homes and businesses in texas and arkansas ice could cause widespread outages from texas to the carolinas and into virginia leon craigel in tulsa oklahoma manages street maintenance for the city and says clearing deep snow may be a losing battle this weekend we.

[Leon Craigel]

Will start plowing you know until the storms go through and we can start seeing pavement again then we may start treating again but that's probably looking more like sunday afternoon before we can get.

[Frank Morris]

To that point the storm's scrambling air traffic too with thousands of flights cancelled primarily in the southeast and east coast frank morris npr news tulsa oklahoma you're.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Listening to npr news the massive winter storm is also pushing natural gas prices higher up more than fifty percent this week the the cold cuts into supplies as storms halt production and moisture inside can freeze the pipes and cause failures meanwhile extreme cold can also disrupt operations at refineries which may mean less gasoline available for drivers for now though supplies are fine and gas prices are up just a few cents over last week the trump administration is canceling solar projects in puerto rico despite ongoing power outages and and a failing electric grid npr's windsor johnston reports the projects were meant to serve around thirty thousand low income households in rural parts of the us.

[Windsor Johnston]

Territory in an email obtained by the associated press the energy department warned that puerto rico's push toward a one hundred percent renewable energy system could threaten the reliability of the island's power grid the message said the rapid expansion of rooftop solar has created instability arguing the grid cannot currently support widespread distributed solar power those solar projects were funded through a one billion dollars program approved by congress in twenty twenty two to strengthen puerto rico's energy system which has struggled since hurricane maria the category four storm devastated the island's power grid in twenty seventeen exposing years of underinvestment and maintenance failures windsor johnston npr news washington and i'm.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Jeanine herbst npr news in washington.

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