NPR News Now – February 4, 2026, 9PM EST

Host: Ryland Barton (NPR)
Length: ~5 minutes

Episode Overview

This concise news episode delivers updates on major US political, health, and science stories, including the reopening of the federal government after a brief shutdown, a growing measles outbreak, high-profile legal moves involving President Trump and Harvard University, NASA’s delayed moonshot mission, progress on a Colorado River water-sharing deal, and a unique scientific study of Alaskan grizzly bears.

Key News Segments & Discussion Points

1. Federal Government Reopens Amid Budget Negotiations

[00:15 - 01:17]

• President Trump signs a massive spending measure, ending a brief partial federal government shutdown.
  • Only Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding is temporary, set for another week as Congress negotiates on immigration enforcement.
• Sam Greenglass (NPR): "Congress has 10 days to find a consensus. Republicans and Democrats agree on a few fixes, but appear quite far apart on others."
• Senate Majority Leader John Thune: Expresses frustration with the timeline, attributing it to Democratic insistence.
  • Notable Quote:
    "The timeline, which I had argued at the time was way too short to allow anything consequential to happen... But that being said, the Democrats insisted on it, so those discussions will get underway." (01:05)
• Even if DHS runs out of funding, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) retains $75 billion from previous appropriations to use over four years.

2. Major Measles Outbreaks Spreading Across the US

[01:17 - 02:14]

• South Carolina: 29 new cases since last Friday, epicenter in Spartanburg County.
• Other States: North Carolina (15 cases, many linked to SC), Arizona (24 cases this year), Utah (over 230 cases from a year-old outbreak).
• Health Warning: Infectious disease experts alarmed by declining vaccination rates.
  • Notable Quote (Maria Godoy, NPR):
    "...as vaccination rates continue to decline, outbreaks of a disease that was once declared eliminated in the US are starting to become the new normal." (02:10)

3. President Trump Demands $1 Billion from Harvard over Anti-Semitism Claims

[02:14 - 03:02]

• Development: Trump uses Truth Social to respond to reports about negotiations between his administration and Harvard.
• Context: Follows prior settlements with other elite schools—Columbia ($200 million), Brown ($50 million to Rhode Island programs).
• Harvard: No current comment from the university.
  • Notable Quote (Alyssa Nadworny, NPR):
    "A Harvard deal would not include cash demands. The White House has made several deals with elite universities in the last year." (02:36)

4. Air Travelers Face New ID Requirement: Confirm ID

[03:02 - 03:18]

• Update: US travelers without Real ID or acceptable ID now pay $45 for an alternate process called “Confirm ID.”

5. NASA Delays Manned Moon Mission Because of Fuel Leak

[03:18 - 03:50]

• NASA’s moonshot: Originally slated soon, delayed until at least March.
• Reason: Leaking hydrogen fuel; more practice required before four astronauts embark on the first moonshot in 50+ years.

6. Western States Advance Colorado River Water Deal

[03:50 - 04:24]

• Ongoing Negotiations: Seven states, with the rules for Colorado River management set to expire this year.
• Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs: "Cautiously optimistic" after a major DC meeting.
  • Notable Quote (Gov. Katie Hobbs):
    "We were clearly at an impasse. I feel like we're at a place where we can start to move past that now." (04:10)
• Short-term Deal: May be reached as a bridge to a comprehensive, longer-term water-sharing agreement.
  • Feds warn against simply postponing hard choices with another temporary fix.

7. Scientists Use ‘Collar Cams’ to Study Arctic Grizzly Bears

[04:24 - 04:54]

• Project: Washington State University and Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
• Method: Equipping 12 grizzly bears with cameras to observe behaviors.
• Findings: Bears hunt caribou calves and later switch to berries; Arctic grizzlies are smaller (~350 lbs) than salmon-fed relatives.
• Notable Moment: Rare direct observation of bear behaviors in the wild.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Senate Leader John Thune (on brief shutdown and negotiations):
  "The timeline, which I had argued at the time was way too short to allow anything consequential to happen... that's going to be a conversation between the president of the United States and the Democrats here in the Senate." (01:05)

• Maria Godoy (on measles outbreaks):
  "...outbreaks of a disease that was once declared eliminated in the US are starting to become the new normal." (02:10)

• Gov. Katie Hobbs (on water negotiations):
  "We were clearly at an impasse. I feel like we're at a place where we can start to move past that now." (04:10)

Episode Timestamps: Key Segments

• [00:15] Federal government reopens, budget/immigration negotiations
• [01:17] Measles outbreaks in South Carolina, other states
• [02:14] Trump demands $1B from Harvard over anti-Semitism
• [03:02] Travelers: New Confirm ID requirement
• [03:18] NASA moon mission delay
• [03:50] Colorado River water-sharing progress
• [04:24] Grizzly bears with collar cams in Alaska

This summary covers all major content from the five-minute news episode, with key details, context, and direct quotes for listeners seeking a quick, thorough update.