NPR News: 01-25-2026 7AM EST

Summary

NPR News Now – January 25, 2026, 7AM EST

Host: Korva Coleman
Duration: ~5 minutes
Theme: The day's top headlines — covering a high-profile fatal shooting by immigration agents, a powerful winter storm affecting much of the U.S., tributes to a late congressman, international talks on Ukraine, and a daring feat by American climber Alex Honnold.

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Main Theme

This brief NPR News Now update covers the latest developments in national security, extreme weather, U.S. politics, world affairs, and human achievement. The lead stories include the fallout from a fatal shooting in Minnesota by federal immigration agents, ongoing winter storm chaos, the impact of a congressman’s death on House GOP control, diplomatic talks over the Ukraine war, and Alex Honnold’s latest climbing challenge.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Fatal Shooting by Federal Immigration Agents in Minnesota

• Victim Identified: Alex Jeffrey Preddy, a 37-year-old ICU nurse and U.S. citizen from Minneapolis, shot dead by federal agents.
  (00:15–01:11)
• Political and Community Response:
  • Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith attended a city news conference; Smith stressed Preddy “was a nurse,” challenging the Trump administration's labeling him a "domestic terrorist."
  • Senator Tina Smith: “The Trump administration has already called Alex Preddy a domestic terrorist. He was a nurse.” (00:41)
  • Concerns raised: “If this can happen in Minnesota, it can happen in any community in the country.”
• Actions Taken:
  • Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Fry requested the National Guard, who will be distinguished on duty by yellow safety vests.
• Federal Involvement and Judicial Orders:
  • Vice President J.D. Vance blamed “far left agitators working with local authorities” for the violence — without citing supporting evidence.
    • Korva Coleman: “Vance offered no evidence to support his statement.” (01:11)
  • A federal judge has ordered all evidence from the shooting be preserved for local investigation, referencing prior refusals by federal officials to share information in similar incidents.

2. Severe Winter Storms Impacting the U.S.

• Scope: Affecting over half the country with winter weather advisories; more than 300,000 power outages reported.
  (01:11–02:55)
• Regional Details:
  • South: Freezing rain and sleet
  • Northeast/New England: Up to two feet of snow expected
  • Southern Plains to Southeast: Ice warnings
• State Responses:
  • Over 30 states under advisory; governors in a dozen states declare emergencies or preparations.
  • School and university closures/virtual classes announced in hard-hit regions.
• Notable Metrics:
  • Jeff Brady: “More than 30 states are under some sort of winter weather advisory for snow, sleet, wind and extreme cold.” (02:13)
• Flight Disruptions:
  • Nearly 10,000 flights canceled, hundreds delayed — worst in Houston, Atlanta, Boston.

3. U.S. Politics: Death of Congressman Doug LaMalfa

• Congressional Risks:
  • LaMalfa’s death reduces the GOP’s House majority, seat to remain vacant until August 4 special election.
    (03:36–04:16)
• Memorial in Chico, California:
  • House Speaker Mike Johnson attended, noting travel difficulties due to the storm:
    • Mike Johnson: “This went all the way to the top, my friends, because it’s Doug LaMalfa…” (03:49)
  • LaMalfa recognized as a Trump ally; the delay in replacing him underlines GOP’s tenuous control.

4. International: Ukraine Peace Talks

• Summary:
  • Talks in UAE about the Russia–Ukraine war ended “constructively” but yielded no breakthrough.
  • President Volodymyr Zelensky focused on “possible parameters of ending the war.”
    (04:16–04:34)

5. Human Achievement: Alex Honnold Climbs Taipei 101

• Details:
  • American climber Alex Honnold free-soloed the iconic Taiwan skyscraper, without ropes, in about 90 minutes.
    (04:34–04:54)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Senator Tina Smith, on Alex Preddy:
  “The Trump administration has already called Alex Preddy a domestic terrorist. He was a nurse.” (00:41)
• Korva Coleman on Vice President Vance’s statement:
  “Vance offered no evidence to support his statement.” (01:11)
• Jeff Brady on the winter storm's breadth:
  “More than 30 states are under some sort of winter weather advisory for snow, sleet, wind and extreme cold.” (02:13)
• Mike Johnson at LaMalfa’s memorial:
  “This went all the way to the top, my friends, because it’s Doug LaMalfa…” (03:49)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:15–01:11: Identification of Alex Preddy, policy and political fallout, National Guard deployment in Minneapolis
• 01:11–02:55: Winter storm coverage: regional impacts, government actions, flight disruptions
• 03:36–04:16: LaMalfa memorial, GOP majority concerns, special election date
• 04:16–04:34: Ukraine peace talks in UAE
• 04:34–04:54: Alex Honnold’s Taipei 101 climb

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Summary

This brisk news round-up captures the urgency and seriousness of the day’s top stories, blending sober political developments, urgent weather alerts, and stories of resilience and audacity – embodying NPR’s succinct, fact-focused style.

Transcript

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[Korva Coleman]

Live from NPR News, I'm Korva Coleman. Minnesota officials have identified the person whom federal immigration agents killed yesterday as Alex Jeffrey Preddy. NPR's Meg Anderson reports. He he's the second person shot to death by federal immigration agents in less than three weeks.

[Meg Anderson]

In a news conference with city officials, US Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith said Preddy was a 37 year old ICU nurse, a US citizen and a Minneapolis resident.

[Senator Tina Smith]

Senator Tina Smith, the Trump administration has already called Alex Preddy a domestic terrorist. He was a nurse.

[Meg Anderson]

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.

[Korva Coleman]

Writing online late last night, Vice President Vance blamed local authorities in Minneapolis for the violence. He writes, quote, this level of engineered chaos is unique to Minneapolis and it is the direct consequence of far left agitators working with local authorities. Vance offered no evidence to support his statement. Separately, a federal judge has instructed the Trump administration to preserve all its evidence from the fatal shooting yesterday. U.S. district Judge Eric Tostred said the materials must be preserved so that state and local officials may investigate the shooting. Federal officials have previously refused to share evidence in the fatal shooting of Renee Macklin Good by federal agents earlier this month. In Minneapolis, a powerful winter storm is pummeling the central, southern and eastern US this morning. More than half the country is under some kind of winter weather caution. NPR's Jeff Brady reports. More than 300,000 customers have already lost power.

[Jeff Brady]

The storm is sweeping across the south with freezing rain and sleet and up into the Northeast in New England with up to 2ft of snow expected in some places. For forecasters warn freezing rain and ice could be a problem for the Southern Plains to the mid Atlantic and southeastern US and cold temperatures will last into next week. More than 30 states are under some sort of winter weather advisory for snow, sleet, wind and extreme cold. Governors in more than a dozen states have warned their residents about the storm and declared some form of emergency or state of preparation. Schools and universities in some of the affected states have announced they plan to close or offer virtual classes Monday. Jeff Brady, NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

The powerful winter storm is also disrupting flights. The tracking site FlightAware.com says nearly 10,000 flights have already been canceled today. Hundreds of others have been delayed. The airports with the greatest disruptions include Houston, Atlanta and Boston. You're listening to npr. House Speaker Mike Johnson visited California yesterday to honor late Republican Congressman Doug Lumalfa. La Malfa's unexpected death earlier this month reduced the GOP's majority in the House of Representatives. From North State Public Radio, Claudia Brancart reports.

[Claudia Brancart]

The memorial was in Chico, a rural city about 90 miles north of Sacramento. Speaker Johnson said he arranged to take Air Force Two to make the service as a winter storm grounded thousands of flights across the US So this went.

[Mike Johnson]

All the way to the top, my.

[Claudia Brancart]

Friends, because it's Doug LaMalfa was a longtime ally to President Donald Trump. His death narrows House Republicans hold on the chamber, and the Republican seat will remain empty for months. California Governor Gavin Newsom, who was also at the memorial, scheduled a special election to fill the Malfez seat for Aug. 4. For NPR News, I'm Claudia Brancart in Chico, California.

[Korva Coleman]

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says talks have wrapped up in the United Arab Emirates Emirates about Russia's war in Ukraine. No breakthrough has been announced from the talks, but Zelensky described them as constructive. He says a lot was discussed. He says the focus was on the possible parameters of ending the war. American rock climber Alex Honnold has climbed something different today. He successfully scaled the iconic Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taiwan. He did it without ropes or protective equipment in about an hour and a half. You're listening to NPR News.

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