NPR News Now – 01-22-2026 7PM EST

Airdate: January 23, 2026
Host: Ryland Barton

Episode Overview

This brief five-minute NPR News Now segment delivers a rapid update on urgent national developments. Major topics include a life-threatening winter storm affecting much of the US, ongoing border enforcement actions in Minneapolis, congressional testimony from Special Counsel Jack Smith on Trump investigations, regulatory scrutiny on college sports gambling, the return of Star Search for a new generation, and a milestone in US Olympic hockey.

Key News Stories & Discussion Points

1. Life-Threatening Winter Storm Sweeps the US

Timestamps: 00:15 – 01:20

• Summary: Tens of millions across the US are under severe weather warnings due to a massive winter storm stretching from New Mexico to the Northeast.
• Details:
  • Expect frigid temperatures, hazardous ice, snow, and sleet, disrupting travel and threatening power outages.
  • Multiple states, including Texas, the Carolinas, and Georgia, have declared emergencies, allowing for road treatment, warming centers, and National Guard mobilization.
  • Anticipated air travel chaos at major airports.
• Notable Quote:
  • Georgia Governor Brian Kemp (01:05):

    “Make sure you got the things that you need at your house to stay warm and hunker down in case you lose power for a day or two.”

2. Tensions Between Border Patrol and Minneapolis Authorities

Timestamps: 01:20 – 02:14

• Summary: US Border Patrol confronts a hostile climate in Minneapolis amid ongoing federal operations.
• Details:
  • Chief Greg Bovino claims agents face stalking, anarchists, and rioters during operations.
  • No timeline set for ending enforcement missions, citing ongoing public safety concerns.
  • Bovino criticizes Minneapolis Police Department as “missing in action.”
  • Immigrants and people of color report heightened fear and reluctance to go outside.
• Notable Quotes:
  • Chief Greg Bovino (01:43):

    “We’re not going to put a date or a timeline to stop this mission. This mission’s ongoing until there are no more of those criminal illegal aliens roaming the streets of Minneapolis.”

  • Chief Greg Bovino (01:55):

    Called the Minneapolis police “missing in action.”

3. Jack Smith Defends Trump Investigations in Congress

Timestamps: 02:14 – 02:52

• Summary: Former DOJ Special Counsel Jack Smith stands firm on his work investigating Donald Trump, denying political motivations.
• Details:
  • Smith says Trump “engaged in a criminal scheme” post-2020 election and illegally retained classified documents after his term.
  • Testimony underscores ongoing legal and political drama echoing into the 2024 campaign cycle.
• Notable Quote:
  • Jack Smith (02:27):

    “Rather than accept his defeat in the 2020 election, President Trump engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results and prevent the lawful transfer of power. After leaving office in January of ’21, President Trump illegally kept classified documents at his Mar-A-Lago social club and repeatedly tried to obstruct justice to conceal his continued retention of those documents.”

4. Economic Update: Inflation Gauge Rises

Timestamps: 02:52 – 03:15

• Summary: The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation measure ticked up in November.
• Details:
  • Inflation remains above target but has eased significantly from record highs in 2022.

5. Missouri Considers College Sports Gambling Restrictions

Timestamps: 03:15 – 03:51

• Summary: State gambling authorities examine new limits on “prop bets” tied to individual college athlete performance.
• Details:
  • NCAA warns these bets are prone to manipulation.
  • Recent indictments over attempts to rig college basketball games intensify scrutiny.

6. Star Search Returns, Reinvented for the TikTok Generation

Timestamps: 03:51 – 04:38

• Summary: Netflix revives the classic TV talent show with new interactive features.
• Details:
  • Format keeps celebrity judges and young talent (e.g., 10-year-old country singer Blair Koudelka).
  • Viewers worldwide can vote instantly with remotes or phones; results are immediate.
  • Some critics question whether fast-paced interactivity fits with TV viewing habits.
• Notable Quotes:
  • Executive Producer Jesse Collins (04:15):

    “The audience is truly the fourth judge.”

  • NYT TV Critic James Poniewozic (04:33):

    “I think people look to television for… you know, a more passive experience.”

7. History in the Making: Layla Edwards Set for Olympic Hockey

Timestamps: 04:43 – 04:57

• Summary: Layla Edwards becomes the first Black woman named to the US Olympic hockey team for the 2026 Milan-Cortina Games.
• Details:
  • Edwards is a senior at the University of Wisconsin.

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Governor Brian Kemp (01:05):

  “Make sure you got the things that you need at your house to stay warm and hunker down in case you lose power for a day or two.”

• Chief Greg Bovino (01:43):

  “We’re not going to put a date or a timeline to stop this mission. This mission’s ongoing until there are no more of those criminal illegal aliens roaming the streets of Minneapolis.”

• Jack Smith (02:27):

  “Rather than accept his defeat in the 2020 election, President Trump engaged in a criminal scheme to overturn the results and prevent the lawful transfer of power…”

• Jesse Collins, Star Search EP (04:15):

  “The audience is truly the fourth judge.”

• NYT Critic James Poniewozic (04:33):

  “I think people look to television for… you know, a more passive experience.”

Summary

This NPR News Now bulletin provides essential updates on major winter weather threats across the US, federal enforcement controversies in Minneapolis, the latest in high-profile legal and political saga surrounding Donald Trump, persistent inflation, new debates over college sports betting, nostalgic television with a modern twist, and a groundbreaking Olympic nomination. The episode captures rapid shifts in news and culture, underscored by direct quotes and voices from public officials, newsmakers, and cultural critics.