NPR News Now: January 30, 2026 – 8AM EST

Episode Overview
This five-minute NPR News Now update delivers a rapid-fire summary of key national stories on the morning of January 30, 2026. Topics covered include the nomination for the next Federal Reserve chair, a last-minute government funding deal in Congress, ongoing hardships in Tennessee following a winter storm, the impact of artificial intelligence on schools, and cultural highlights from the Sundance Film Festival.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. President Trump's Fed Nominee: Kevin Warsh

• [00:17–01:08]
  • President Trump announces his intent to nominate Kevin Warsh as the next chair of the Federal Reserve.
  • Warsh previously served on the Fed’s Board of Governors (2006–2011) and is currently affiliated with Stanford’s Hoover Institution.
  • Trump is looking for a chair who supports lower interest rates, criticizing current chair Jerome Powell for being "too timid" with rate cuts.
  • The Fed had cut rates last fall due to a weak job market but recently held them steady as inflation remains high.
  • Warsh must be confirmed by the Senate.
  • Notable Quote:
    • “Trump has regularly complained that the current Fed chairman, Jerome Powell, is too timid about cutting interest rates, even though the Fed is supposed to operate at arm's length from the White House.” — Scott Horsley, [00:40]

2. Senate Deal to Avoid Government Shutdown

• [01:08–02:14]
  • Senate Democrats and Republicans reach a funding agreement ahead of that night’s deadline, aiming to prevent a partial government shutdown.
  • Instead of one large funding package, the plan now splits into five appropriations bills and a separate two-week continuing resolution for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
  • Democrats are insisting on changes to DHS’s immigration enforcement before agreeing to long-term funding.
  • The House, currently in recess, must also vote on the bills to avoid broad shutdown impacts.
  • Notable Quote:
    • “They’ve refused to support funding that agency without making major changes to immigration enforcement.” — Barbara Sprunt, [01:30]

3. Tennessee: Winter Storm, Power Outages, and Immigration Fears

• [02:14–03:06]
  • Ongoing power outages in the Southeast after a winter storm; in Tennessee, undocumented residents are avoiding calling for help due to fear of deportation.
  • Lisa Sherman Luna (Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition) discusses the difficult choices families face—risking safety rather than accessing shelters or emergency services.
  • Notable Quote:
    • “We have whole sections of our communities in Nashville who are going to face more hardship because they’re having to make tough choices like stay in their homes and not go to a warming center… and the risk that puts on people.” — Lisa Sherman Luna, [02:49]

4. The Challenge of AI in Education

• [03:06–04:11]
  • Growing AI usage in classrooms is dividing educators.
  • Example: Cheney Bond, English teacher, restricts laptop use and has students write by hand to minimize AI interference.
  • EdWeek poll: About 60% of surveyed teachers use AI at least occasionally.
  • Bond is wary of integrating AI in her teaching but is open to reevaluating her stance in the future.
  • Notable Quotes:
    • “They are constantly and consistently doing everything with a pen or a pencil.” — Cheney Bond, [03:36]
    • “It's less harmful to me to make sure that they can do the things without the AI than to try and push the AI into my classroom.” — Cheney Bond, [04:04]

5. Sundance Film Festival Highlights & Upcoming Move

• [04:14–04:55]
  • The Sundance Film Festival concludes its final days in Utah before relocating to Boulder, Colorado, next year.
  • Tribute paid to founder Robert Redford.
  • Film highlights: Olivia Wilde’s The Invite (with Seth Rogen and Penelope Cruz), the mockumentary The Moment starring Charli XCX.
  • First Lady Melania Trump’s new documentary, Melania, opens in theaters, tracking her pre-inauguration period.
  • Some Sundance selections are available for streaming.
  • No direct quotes, but emphasizes the festival’s legacy and new releases.

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• On the Fed Nomination:
  “Trump has regularly complained that the current Fed chairman, Jerome Powell, is too timid about cutting interest rates…”
  — Scott Horsley, [00:40]

• On Immigration and Climate Hardship:
  “We have whole sections of our communities in Nashville who are going to face more hardship because… they’re having to make tough choices like stay in their homes and not go to a warming center...”
  — Lisa Sherman Luna, [02:49]

• On AI in Classrooms:
  “They are constantly and consistently doing everything with a pen or a pencil.”
  — Cheney Bond, [03:36]
  “It's less harmful to me to make sure that they can do the things without the AI than to try and push the AI into my classroom.”
  — Cheney Bond, [04:04]

Timestamps for Major Segments

• [00:17] President Trump’s Fed Chair Nomination
• [01:08] Senate Funding Deal to Avert Shutdown
• [02:14] Southeast Winter Storm: Power Outages and Immigration Concerns
• [03:06] AI Challenges in the Classroom
• [04:14] Sundance Film Festival Wraps; Highlights & Relocation

Tone & Delivery:
The episode maintains NPR's trademark concise, impartial, and informative tone, distilling complex political and social stories into succinct reports, with an even-handed presentation of issues and direct attributions to key voices. The pacing and language make it suitable for a general audience seeking quick, reliable news updates.