NPR News: 01-24-2026 11PM EST
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What happened during the Challenger disaster and why were warnings ignored?
Forty years ago, the space shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after liftoff. The nation was shocked. But the night before, engineers had pleaded for a launch delay. He said the Challenger's going to blow up. Everyone's going to die. An NPR investigation into why last-minute warnings about the launch were dismissed. Listen now on the NPR app to the Sunday story from the Up First podcast.
Live from NPR News in New York City, I'm Dualisa Kautau. Minnesotans are tonight responding with shock and anger after another person was shot and killed during a federal immigration operation in Minneapolis. Mayor Jacob Fry, during a press briefing, asked how many more Americans need to die.
The chaos that we are seeing is caused directly by ICE, border control, and this federal administration.
Hours after the victim was identified as 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Preti, an intensive care unit nurse at the local VA hospital, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara described the scene.
State and local law enforcement did deploy less lethal and gas munitions at that assembly in order to allow for a safe egress of law enforcement and to prevent further violence and damage.
Governor Tim Walz has now activated the National Guard to help local police, and the mayor says he's asked a judge for a restraining order to end immigration enforcement and prevent more tragic deaths. A massive winter storm is forecast to hit states from Texas to Massachusetts, leaving residents facing ice, snow and frigid temperatures. Officials in New England are warning residents to stay off the roads, as Chris Van Burskik of member station WBUR reports.
More than 15 inches of snow are expected to fall across parts of New England starting mid-Sunday into Monday morning. State officials in Massachusetts say the intensity of the snowfall will make road conditions dangerous. Governor Maura Healey declared Monday a remote workday for most state employees.
We're taking this storm very seriously. I have activated the state emergency operations center and directed all relevant agencies to deploy resources.
The National Weather Service says widespread travel disruptions, prolonged power outages, and vast tree damage are likely across the country. For NPR News, I'm Chris Van Buskirk in Boston.
The Democratic National Committee says it will spend millions to register voters ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. From member station KJZZ, Ben Giles reports.
DNC Chair Ken Martin says the investment is part of efforts to get the party more involved in voter registration. In the past, he says, Democrats have relied on nonpartisan groups barred from discussing the party's candidates or core values. Directly involving party leaders from the national to local level will allow volunteers to better connect with voters that Martin says Democrats have taken for granted.
As we learned in 2024, we can't just assume that certain demographics, whether they be young voters, voters of color, or otherwise, will automatically support the Democratic Party. We have to earn every registration so that we can earn every vote.
Republicans outnumber Democrats by more than 300,000 voters in Arizona. For NPR News, I'm Ben Giles in Phoenix.
How are Minnesotans reacting to recent immigration enforcement actions?
This is NPR. In Afghanistan, at least 61 people have died in the country's central and northern provinces due to heavy rain and major snowfall that caused avalanches. A disaster management spokesperson told local media that another 110 people were injured. Yusuf Hamad also said key highways were cut off. The United Nations and other humanitarian partners continue to appeal for $1.7 billion to help 18 million people who are still recovering from devastating earthquakes that hit last August and in November. China says it's investigating the country's top senior military general. This as President Xi Jinping has been purging dozens of high-ranking defense officials and executives. But NPR's Emily Fang reports this is the most high-ranking official yet to be targeted.
General Zhang Youxia is being investigated for suspected violations of Communist Party discipline.
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