NPR News: 01-25-2026 6PM EST

Summary

NPR News Now – 6PM EST, January 25, 2026

Podcast: NPR News Now
Host: Rylan Barton
Episode: NPR News: 01-25-2026 6PM EST
Date: January 25, 2026
Duration: 5 minutes

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Episode Overview

This tightly-packed five-minute NPR News Now episode covers the latest national and global headlines. Major stories include tensions over a federal immigration operation in Minnesota, power outages caused by a winter storm in the South, trade tensions between Canada, China, and the US, notable sports updates, the passing of a global health leader, and a UK law enforcement restructuring.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Minneapolis Immigration Crackdown and Fatal Shooting

• Event: A federal immigration operation in Minneapolis results in the shooting death of Alex Preddy, a nurse, by federal agents.
• Political Response:
  • Minnesota Governor Tim Walz criticizes federal overreach, questioning if the public wants “an all powerful federal government that could menace, kill and kidnap citizens” (00:34).
• Federal Agency Stance:
  • Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino defends agents, stating Preddy “chose to interfere with immigration officers” and that the tragedy “was preventable by folks making better choices, politicians, journalists and would be anarchists and rioters.” (00:45)
• Visual Evidence:
  • Bystander video shows multiple federal agents surrounding Preddy, with some punching and restraining him prior to the fatal shooting (01:05).

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2. Major Winter Storm and Widespread Southern Power Outages

• Storm Impact: A severe winter storm brings snow and ice, leading to around one million power outages across Tennessee, Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi (01:12).
• Human Story:
  • Matt Hackworth, a Mississippi minister, describes the toll:

    “We lost power about 10 minutes till midnight last night and then kept hearing pops and bangs and booms from trees breaking under the weight of the ice.” (01:52)

• Outlook: Restoring power to the hardest-hit regions may take weeks (02:04).

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3. Canada-China Trade Relations and US Tariff Threat

• Political Context:
  • Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney rules out a comprehensive free trade agreement with China after threats from US President Trump to impose a 100% tariff on Canadian goods if Ottawa reaches such a deal (02:14).
• Recent Deal:
  • Canada and China agree to reduce tariffs: Beijing drops duties on some Canadian agricultural and seafood products; Canada lowers tariffs on 49,000 Chinese EVs from 100% to 6.1% (02:32).
• Trade Treaty Constraints: Under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico agreement, Canada faces restrictions on making trade agreements with “non-market economies” such as China.

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4. Sports Highlights

• NFL Championship Games:
  • In Toronto, the New England Patriots face the Denver Broncos in the AFC championship; later, the LA Rams take on the Seattle Seahawks (03:07).
• Australian Open Upset:
  • Lerner Tian, a 25th-seeded American tennis player, eliminates three-time finalist Daniil Medvedev in straight sets (03:53).
  • Tian, age 20, is now the youngest man to reach the Australian Open quarterfinals since 2015, and the youngest American to do so in over two decades.
  • Notable Quote:
    • Tian: “Feels amazing. I mean, so special to do it, especially here where, you know, it’s always so special for me to come back and play every year.” (04:08)

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5. Passing of Dr. William Foege, Smallpox Eradication Leader

• Dr. William Foege, a pivotal figure in the eradication of smallpox and former CDC Director, died at age 89 (03:21).
  • Notable for developing a ring vaccination strategy during an outbreak in Nigeria, contributing to global health progress.

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6. UK Creates a “British FBI”

• Policy Move: The UK government plans to establish the National Police Service—a consolidated federal agency to handle complex investigations including terrorism and organized crime, intended to ease burdens on local forces (04:34).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Gov. Tim Walz's rebuke of federal action:

  “...whether they wanted to support an all powerful federal government that could menace, kill and kidnap citizens.” (00:34)

• Border Patrol defense:

  “Our Title 8 immigration mission continues unabated here in Minneapolis despite yesterday’s tragedy that was preventable by folks making better choices, politicians, journalists and would be anarchists and rioters.”
  – Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino (00:45)

• On the Mississippi blackout:

  “We lost power about 10 minutes till midnight last night and then kept hearing pops and bangs and booms from trees breaking under the weight of the ice.”
  – Matt Hackworth, Presbyterian minister (01:52)

• On the tennis upset:

  “Feels amazing. I mean, so special to do it, especially here where, you know, it’s always so special for me to come back and play every year.”
  – Lerner Tian (04:08)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• 00:14 – Immigration crackdown and shooting in Minneapolis
• 01:12 – Southern winter storm and power outages
• 02:14 – Canada-China trade dispute, US tariff threat
• 03:07 – Sports updates (NFL, Tennis)
• 03:21 – Death of Dr. William Foege, smallpox leader
• 04:34 – UK to create National Police Service (“British FBI”)

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Episode Tone and Style

The episode is direct, urgent, and fact-focused, delivering headline news with a brisk pace and gravitas characteristic of NPR’s reporting style. Quotations from interviews and newsmakers add emotional undertones and urgency to the facts presented.

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Summary

This edition of NPR News Now provides a rapid-fire overview of the day’s top stories, balancing national crises, international diplomacy, sports triumphs, and significant obituaries. The episode is a concise yet comprehensive touchpoint for listeners seeking to catch up on current events in under five minutes.

Transcript

[Live Wright]

This message comes from Live Wright, publisher of the Mattering Instinct. Drawing on biology, psychology and philosophy, Rebecca Neuberger Goldstein argues that the primal need to matter is the source of humans greatest progress and their deepest conflicts.

[Rylan Barton]

Available now live from NPR News in Washington. I'm Rylan Barton. Federal and Minnesota officials are offering starkly different messages about the immigration crackdown in Minneapolis. After another shooting death by federal agents, Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz asked the public whether they wanted to support an all powerful federal government that could menace, kill and kidnap citizens. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino says the nurse who was killed, Alex Preddy, chose to interfere with immigration officers.

[Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino]

Our Title 8 immigration mission continues unabated here in Minneapolis despite yesterday's tragedy that was preventable by folks making better choices, politicians, journalists and would be anarchists and rioters.

[Rylan Barton]

Bystander video appears to show multiple federal agents surrounding Preddy on the ground, with some punching him and attempting to restrain him before one agent shoots and kills him. The giant winter storm barreling into the east is expected to continue tomorrow, followed by very low temperatures for days. Snow and ice is triggering a spike in power outages across Tennessee, Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi. About 1 million payers have lost power. As NPR's Frank Morris reports, some counties are experiencing near total blackouts.

[Frank Morris]

Thick ice breaking trees and power lines cut electricity to four out of five homes and businesses in several north Mississippi counties. Matt Hackworth, a Presbyterian minister in Oxford, Mississippi, is huddling with his wife, son and parents in a chilly, dark house.

[Matt Hackworth]

We lost power about 10 minutes till midnight last night and then kept hearing pops and bangs and booms from trees breaking under the weight of the ice.

[Frank Morris]

While the storm should be letting up, restoring power to the hardest hit parts of the south is likely to take weeks. Frank Morris, NPR News, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

[Rylan Barton]

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney says his government has no intention of seeking a free trade agreement with China. As Dan Carpentuk reports, Carney's comments come a day after President Trump threatened a 100% tariff on Canadian goods if Ottawa concludes a free trade deal in Beijing.

[Dan Karpenchuk]

Carney said the deals reached with China rectify just a handful of issues that have emerged over the last couple of years. During his recent trip to China, Carney got a deal that would have Beijing drop tariffs on some Canadian agricultural and seafood products. In return, Canada would allow 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles into the Canadian market at 6.1% tariff, down from 100%. Carney points out that under the Canada U. S. Mexico agreement, there is a special clause that restricts member countries from entering free trade agreements with with non market economies such as China. For NPR News, I'm Dan Karpenchuk.

[Rylan Barton]

In Toronto, the New England Patriots are facing the Denver Broncos in the AFC championship game. Later tonight, the LA Rams take on the Seattle Seahawks. It's NPR. A leader in the global eradication of smallpox, Dr. William Foege has died. He was 89 years old. He was the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the late 1970s and 1980s. But his greatest achievement came before all that when his work on small pox. While he was a medical missionary in Nigeria, a smallpox outbreak was contained. By identifying each case and vaccinating everyone who they might come into contact with, a US Tennis prodigy has eliminated three time finalist Daniel Medvedev, knocking him out of the Australian Open today. Cristina Koukolya reports from Melbourne.

[Cristina Koukolya]

It took less than two hours for the American 25th seed Lerner Tian to eliminate the Russian former world number one in straight sets. 646 Love 6 3. Fighting back the Melbourne heat and a late comeback by Daniil Medvedev, Tian stunt spectators and his opponent.

[Lerner Tian]

Feels amazing. I mean, so special to do it, especially here where, you know, it's always so special for me to come back and play every year.

[Cristina Koukolya]

At age 20, Tien is the youngest man to reach the Australian Open quarterfinals since Australian Nick Kyrgios in 2015, and the youngest American to do so in over two decades. He'll face world number three German Alexander Zverev in the quarterfinals Tuesday. For NPR News, I'm Cristina Kokola in Melbourne.

[Rylan Barton]

The United Kingdom is planning to create a British FBI to handle complex investigations like counterterrorism and fraud. The National Police Service will consolidate existing agencies dealing with terrorism, crime and organized crime units in England and Wales. British officials say this will ease the burden on local police forces. You're listening to NPR News from Washington.

[Live Wright]

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