NPR News Now: January 25, 2026, 11AM EST

Host: Windsor Johnston (NPR)
Date: January 25, 2026
Episode Theme:
A concise update on pressing domestic and international news, with stories ranging from a controversial shooting in Minneapolis, massive winter storms across the U.S., shifting U.S.-Canada-China trade relations, a remarkable free climb in Taiwan, and Japan’s diplomatic “panda farewell.”

Key News Stories & Insights

1. Tension Over Immigration Agent-Involved Shooting in Minneapolis

[00:16 - 01:23]

• Incident:
  Federal immigration agents fatally shot 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Preddy in Minneapolis on Saturday.
• Conflict Between Agencies:
  • State investigators claim they were blocked from the crime scene by federal law enforcement, even after returning with a signed judicial warrant.
  • This has reignited longstanding tensions over jurisdiction and transparency in federal use-of-force incidents.
• State Response:
  • Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced the state will conduct its own investigation:

    “We need to have a fair investigation, understanding what's happening and held accountable. ... They can have full immunity. And what I'm telling you is they will not. There will be justice to Minnesotans.”
    — Minnesota Governor Tim Walz [00:57]

  • The state is suing to prevent destruction of evidence. A judge has granted a temporary order to preserve evidence.

2. Massive Winter Storm and Emergency Declarations in 10 States

[01:23 - 02:27]

• Scope:
  • President Trump approved emergency declarations in 10 states, including Indiana and Kentucky.
  • More than 800,000 people lost power—majority in Southern states.
• Impacted Areas:
  Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee among the hardest hit.
  • Tens of thousands of outages reported.
  • Mississippi social media shows icicles forming on power lines.
• Utility Response:
  • Southwestern Electric Power Company reported extensive damage from ice-laden trees falling on power lines.
  • Utility crews are prepared but outages continue to increase.
• Quote:

  “Utilities say they have crew members on standby to repair downed lines. But in many areas hard hit by the storm, outage numbers continue to creep up.” — Matt Bloom, NPR News [02:12]

3. U.S.-Canada-China Trade Tensions Escalate

[02:27 - 03:09]

• Tariff Threat:
  • President Trump threatened a 100% tariff on Canadian goods if Canada proceeds with a trade deal with China.
• Timeline:
  • Trump initially praised the Canada-China trade deal.
  • After Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's critical remarks at Davos, Trump reversed his stance and issued the tariff threat.
• Insight:

  “Trump is very unpredictable. That's why he's forcing other countries to de risk to separate from the United States and look for other partners.”
  — Mara Liasson, NPR [02:53]

4. Alex Honnold Scales Taipei 101 Skyscraper

[03:09 - 04:24]

• Event:
  • Alex Honnold, known for “Free Solo” and his rope-less feats, climbed Taiwan’s 101-story, 1,600-foot Taipei 101 skyscraper.
  • He used only his hands and some chalk—no ropes, no safety net.
• Public Reaction:
  • Large crowd gathered and cheered as he climbed.
• Remarkable Details:
  • The building is in a high-risk earthquake zone.
  • It features an internal steel damper system.
• Quote:

  “If you look at a building like Taipei 101, you're just like, dude, it's so big. It's so much bigger than everything around it. The view is insane.”
  — Alex Honnold [03:55]

• Climb Duration:
  • About 1.5 hours.

5. Japan Bids Farewell to Its Last Pandas as Panda Diplomacy Shifts

[04:24 - 04:55]

• Event:
  • Crowds gathered at Tokyo Zoo to say goodbye to the last two pandas—twin cubs returning to China.
  • The pandas are Chinese-owned under “panda diplomacy,” an agreement dating back to 1972.
• Diplomatic Context:
  • The return comes at a time when Japan-China relations have soured.
  • Pandas symbolized the normalization of diplomatic ties between the countries.
• Quote:

  “Japan received its first pandas in 1972, a gift that marked the normalization of diplomatic ties with Beijing.”
  — Windsor Johnston [04:48]

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Governor Tim Walz (on federal immunity):

  “They can have full immunity. And what I'm telling you is they will not. There will be justice to Minnesotans.” [00:57]

• Mara Liasson (on Trump’s unpredictability):

  “That's why he's forcing other countries to de risk to separate from the United States and look for other partners.” [02:53]

• Alex Honnold (on Taipei 101):

  “Dude, it's so big. It's so much bigger than everything around it. The view is insane.” [03:55]

Key Timestamps

• [00:16] Minnesota shooting and jurisdictional clash
• [01:23] Winter storm emergency declarations and impact
• [02:27] US-Canada-China trade tension escalation
• [03:09] Alex Honnold’s skyscraper free climb
• [04:24] Japan’s final panda farewell

This summary captures the impactful events and memorable commentary featured in NPR’s 5-minute news update for January 25, 2026, at 11AM EST.