U.S. rock climber Alex Honnold reaches top of Taipei skyscraper without ropes : NPR

Rock climber Alex Honnold, of the U.S., performs a free solo climb of the Taipei 101 skyscraper in Taipei, Taiwan, Sunday, Jan. 25. 2026. Chiang Ying-ying/AP hide caption toggle caption Chiang Ying-ying/AP TAIPEI, Taiwan — American rock climber Alex Honnold ascended the Taipei 101 skyscraper on Sunday without any ropes or protective equipment. Cheers erupted … Read more

Pentagon downplays China threat: What it means for US allies | Explainer News

The United States no longer views China as a top security priority, according to the Pentagon’s 2026 National Defense Strategy (NDS), as President Donald Trump’s administration seeks to focus on the Western Hemisphere in a break from a decade of foreign policy that saw Beijing as the biggest threat to US security and economic interests. … Read more

Russian strikes leave Kyiv without heat in freezing cold : NPR

People take shelter in a subway station during Russia’s night missile and drone attack in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. Danylo Antoniuk/AP hide caption toggle caption Danylo Antoniuk/AP KYIV — Thousands of apartment buildings in the Ukrainian capital Kyiv remain without heating, electricity and water once again, after Russia launched hundreds of drones … Read more

China’s top general under investigation in latest military purge : NPR

FILE – Gen. Zhang Youxia, vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission attends the opening session of the National People’s Congress (NPC) at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing. Ng Han Guan/AP/AP hide caption toggle caption Ng Han Guan/AP/AP BEIJING — The Chinese military’s top general is being investigated for suspected serious violations … Read more

At Davos, U.S. allies question a fraying world order : NPR

President Trump speaks during a reception for business leaders at the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, Wednesday. Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images DAVOS, Switzerland — It was among the most volatile weeks for trans-Atlantic relations in recent history, marked by a series of disruptive statements from President Trump … Read more