NPR News: 01-31-2026 12AM EST

Summary

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NPR News Now: January 31, 2026, 12AM EST

Host: Dale Willman, NPR
Duration: 5 minutes
Episode Theme:
A concise roundup of the hour’s major U.S. and international news stories, focused on government funding, severe weather, military tensions, financial developments, private spaceflight, and a criminal trial verdict.

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Key News Stories & Discussion Points

1. Partial U.S. Government Shutdown Looms

[00:15–01:16] Host: Dale Willman; Reporter: Sam Greenglass

• The U.S. Senate approved funding for much of the government, preventing a broad shutdown.
• House Delay: The House of Representatives must return to pass the final measure; they won’t return until Monday.
• Shutdown Details: A partial government shutdown begins at midnight, but it’s not as widespread as the historic previous shutdown.
• Complicating Factors: Democrats withdrew support for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding after a second fatal encounter involving immigration officers.
• Republican Response: Agreed to isolate DHS funding and extend it for two weeks so lawmakers can debate immigration enforcement measures.
• Quote:
  • “Funding will lapse at least over the weekend, but will not be as widespread as the last record long shutdown when all government funding had expired.” – Sam Greenglass [01:15]

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2. Storms and Power Outages in the Southern U.S.

[01:16–01:52] Host: Dale Willman; Guest: Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell

• Another major storm is expected in the South, affecting states still reeling from last weekend’s weather, particularly Tennessee.
• Ongoing Outages: Tens of thousands are still without power in Nashville and surrounding areas.
• Local Criticism: Nashville Mayor Freddie O’Connell expressed frustration with Nashville Electric Service (NES) over the slow progress and lack of communication.
• Quote:
  • "No, I am not satisfied and continue to expect them to do better... share more, do more, offer more, show visualization, share data, talk about performance, all of those things.” – Freddie O’Connell [01:34–01:52]

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3. U.S.-Iran Tensions Escalate

[01:52–02:57] Host: Dale Willman; Reporter: Greg Myhre

• U.S. Military Positioning: Major buildup, with an aircraft carrier, ships, and warplanes near Iran.
• Presidential Stance: President Trump has not committed to military action, stating ambiguously, "we'll see what happens."
• Diplomacy at an Impasse: Iran’s foreign minister refuses to negotiate amid threats, pledging to retaliate if attacked.
• Background: The U.S. and Israel previously bombed Iran’s nuclear facilities for 12 days last June.
• Quote:
  • “Iran has an arsenal of ballistic missiles and says that if attacked, it will strike U.S. targets in the region.” – Greg Myhre [02:38]

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4. Federal Reserve Nominee and Stock Market Reaction

[02:57–03:13] Host: Dale Willman

• Leadership Change: President Trump intends to nominate Kevin Warsh to replace Jerome Powell as Federal Reserve Chair.
• Market Response: Stocks dropped (Nasdaq fell 0.9%) amid investor uncertainty over possible policy shifts.

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5. United Nations Faces Financial Crisis

[03:13–03:37] Host: Dale Willman

• UN Funding at Risk: Secretary-General Antonio Guterres warns the UN might run out of cash by July.
• Potential Impact: Could cause a dramatic reduction in UN operations worldwide.
• Requests: Calls for financial rules overhaul or for all countries to pay outstanding dues.

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6. Blue Origin Halts Space Tourism Flights

[03:37–04:30] Reporter: Brendan Byrne (Central Florida Public Media)

• Program Pause: Blue Origin suspends suborbital New Shepard flights for at least two years.
• Reason: Refocusing efforts to develop a lunar lander for NASA’s Artemis moon missions, supported by a $3.4 billion contract.
• To Date: New Shepard carried 98 people, including Jeff Bezos, William Shatner, and Katy Perry, above the Karman Line and returned safely.
• Quote:
  • “The company says the shift allows Blue Origin to focus on building a lunar lander for NASA’s human moon missions.” – Brendan Byrne [04:08]

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7. Actor Nathan Chasinghorse Convicted

[04:30–04:54] Host: Dale Willman

• Conviction: Nathan Chasinghorse, known for “Dances With Wolves,” found guilty in Las Vegas of sexually assaulting a minor.
• Details: Chasinghorse acquitted on some charges; guilty verdicts involve a victim who was 14 when the assaults began.
• Timeline: He was first indicted in 2023.

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Notable Quotes & Moments

• Freddie O’Connell, Nashville Mayor [01:34]:
  “No, I am not satisfied and continue to expect them to do better... share more, do more, offer more, show visualization, share data, talk about performance, all of those things.”
• Greg Myhre, NPR [02:38]:
  “Iran has an arsenal of ballistic missiles and says that if attacked, it will strike U.S. targets in the region.”
• Brendan Byrne, Central Florida Public Media [04:08]:
  “The company says the shift allows Blue Origin to focus on building a lunar lander for NASA’s human moon missions.”

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Key Timestamps

• 00:15 – Government shutdown update & Congressional dynamics
• 01:16 – Southern storm updates & Mayor O’Connell’s response to continued outages
• 01:52 – U.S.–Iran escalation update
• 02:57 – Federal Reserve chair nomination & market reaction
• 03:13 – UN financial crisis warning
• 03:53 – Blue Origin halts space tourism for lunar lander development
• 04:30 – Nathan Chasinghorse convicted in sex assault trial

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Summary:
This episode delivers a snapshot of a tense U.S. political and global environment: unresolved government funding leads to a narrow partial shutdown; severe weather and power crises grip the South; U.S.-Iran tensions are high with military assets in play; global financial stability is threatened at the UN; private spaceflight pivots towards NASA’s moon mission; and a high-profile criminal verdict closes out the broadcast. The episode is brisk, factual, and driven by clear reporting and impactful local voices.

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Transcript

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[Dale Willman]

Live from NPR News in Washington, D.C. i'm Dale Willman. The Senate has voted to fund large parts of the federal government that was set to run out of money at midnight. But the House still needs to return to Washington to greenlight the final deal. That means a partial government shutdown begins tonight. NPR says. Sam Greenglass explains Congress had been on.

[Sam Greenglass]

Track to avert a shutdown. But after a second deadly shooting of a US Citizen by immigration officers in Minneapolis, Democrats pledged to oppose the Department of Homeland Security funding bill. That money, though, was tied with more than a trillion dollars for other departments, including Defense, Health and Human Services and Housing. Republicans agreed to isolate DHS funding from the rest and only extend it for two weeks, allowing lawmakers to negotiate guardrails to rein in immigration enforcement tactics. With the House not back until Monday, funding will lapse at least over the weekend, but will not be as widespread as the last record long shutdown when all government funding had expired. Sam Greenglass, NPR News, Washington.

[Dale Willman]

A new storm is expected to hit the southern US Saturday. It will arrive as tens of thousands of homes across the region are still without power following last weekend's major storm in Tennessee. Officials with Nashville Electric Service say they're doing all they can to get the lights back on, but Nashville Mayor Freddie o' Connell says it's not enough.

[Freddie O'Connell]

No, I am not SATISF have not been satisfied and continue to expect them to do better. Our communications team remains in close contact with their communications team, our executive leadership pressing them to share more, do more, offer more, show visualization, share data, talk about performance, all of those things.

[Dale Willman]

The latest storm is expected to bring near hurricane force winds to the east coast and Arctic Air into the Southeast. The US Is pressing ahead with the military buildup for a new round of strikes against Iran. Officials in Tehran, meanwhile, say if the country country is attacked, it will hit hard at U.S. interests in the Middle East. NPR's Greg Myhre looks at the possible showdown.

[Greg Myhre]

The U.S. military now has an aircraft carrier, additional ships and dozens of warplanes within striking distance of Iran. President Trump remains non committal about whether he'll order an attack. But speaking of Iran, he said, we'll see what happens. I can say this, they do want to make a deal. However, Iran's foreign minister says his country won't negotiate while it's being threatened. Iran has an arsenal of ballistic missiles and says that if attacked, it will strike US targets in the region. The US and Israel bombed Iran's nuclear facilities for 12 days last June. Trump is not saying what the US might hit in a future attack. Greg Myhrey, NPR News, Washington.

[Dale Willman]

President Trump Friday said he'll nominate Kevin Warsh to replace Jerome Powell as the chair of the Federal Reserve. The news sends stocks dropping as investors try to understand what that may mean for interest rates. The Nasdaq dropped more than 0.9%. This is NPR News. The head of the United nations says the world body is facing a possible financial collapse. Secretary General Antonio Guterres says cash for operations could run out by July and that could dramatically affect operations. In a letter sent to member states that was obtained by the Associated Press, Guterres says financial rules must be overhauled or all member states must pay their dues. To help with the potential crisis. Blue Origin, the private space flight company founded by Jeff Bezos, is suspending flights of its suborbital New Shepard spacecraft. The ship has been taking paying customers to the edge of space and back. Central Florida Public Media's Brendan Byrne has more.

[Brendan Byrne]

The company is suspending the space tourism flights of its New Shepard rocket to focus on developing a lunar lander. The rocket will remain grounded for at least two years. New Shepard flights have carried 98 humans above the Karman Line, the widely accepted boundary of space, about 62 miles above Earth, and then safely back in a capsule that includes Bezos himself, along with paying customers and celebrities such as William Shatner and Katy Perry. The company says the shift allows Blue Origin to focus on building a lunar lander for NASA's human moon missions. The agency awarded Blue Origin a $3.4 billion contract to develop the spacecraft. For NPR News, I'm Brendan Byrne in Orlando.

[Dale Willman]

Dances With Wolves actor Nathan Chasinghorse was convicted Friday in Las Vegas on charges of sexually assaulting a minor. He had pleaded not guilty to 21 charges and was acquitted on a number of them. The guilty verdicts mainly involved a victim who was 14 years old at the time the assaults began. Chasing Horse was first indicted in 2023. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.

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