NPR News: 02-10-2026 7PM EST

Summary

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NPR News Now – February 11, 2026, 7PM EST

Host: Rylan Barton
Duration: ~5 minutes
Podcast: NPR News Now

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Overview

This NPR News Now episode delivers a concise roundup of major news stories as of the evening of February 11, 2026. Reporting spans U.S. political developments, immigration and legal updates, medical innovation challenges, economic news, and a remarkable scientific archive discovery.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. National Governors Association (NGA) Withdraws from White House Dinner

• [00:15–01:13]

  • The NGA will cease involvement with its annual White House dinner.
  • Decision followed the White House’s announcement that only Republican governors would be invited, contrary to the NGA’s bipartisan ethos.
  • NGA chair and Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt communicated this via a letter, emphasizing fair representation (“the NGA represents all governors equally”).
  • The White House, through Press Secretary Caroline Levitt, stands firm, stating President Trump will “invite whomever he wants.”

  Memorable quote:
  “The NGA represents all governors equally and that the dinner is no longer in its official program. He said the group would seek clarity about the invitations.”
  – Sarah Petrovich, recapping Governor Kevin Stitt’s letter [00:47]

2. Deportation Halted for Pro-Palestinian Tufts PhD Student

• [01:13–02:11]

  • Rameisa Ozturk, detained under Trump administration enforcement for activism, gets her deportation to Turkey blocked by an immigration judge in Annapolis.

  • Ozturk faces ongoing legal battles; her federal court proceedings on visa revocation remain.

  • Her lawyer, Mahsa Khanbabi, challenges the legality of the visa revocation:

    Quote:
    “We are arguing that the secretary of state shouldn't be able to just revoke a person's visa without having a valid basis in law. But we're celebrating this huge win and really excited to see that justice is prevailing.”
    – Mahsa Khanbabi [01:46]

  • Ozturk is also suing for the deactivation of her academic status.

3. FDA Rejects Moderna’s New mRNA Flu Vaccine

• [02:11–03:00]

  • FDA declines to review Moderna’s new mRNA-based flu shot, citing dissatisfaction with the company’s clinical comparison to standard flu vaccines.

  • The rejection occurs despite evidence showing the Moderna vaccine’s higher effectiveness.

  • Moderna claims the FDA’s actions contradict prior guidance, marking another instance of regulatory obstacles for mRNA technology development under the Trump administration.

    Quote:
    “The study showed the Moderna flu vaccine was more effective. The decision by the FDA, which Moderna said is inconsistent with the agency's previous feedback, is the latest blow the Trump administration has delivered to efforts to use mRNA technology...”
    – Sidney Lupkin [02:40]

4. Economic Update: Disappointing Consumer Spending

• [03:00–03:15]
  • December’s consumer spending unexpectedly slowed, closing a tepid holiday shopping season.
  • The Commerce Department’s report contradicts economists’ expectations for growth, reflecting mounting employment/labor concerns.

5. Maine Senate Race Heats Up

• [03:15–03:40]
  • Senator Susan Collins (R-Maine) announces reelection bid.
  • Democrats—targeting Collins’ seat—are focusing critiques on her lack of dissent against Trump’s immigration policies.
  • Major Democratic challengers: Governor Janet Mills and oyster farmer Graham Platner.
  • Collins is described as a long-standing moderate and “reflection of Maine’s independent spirit.”

6. 1949 Whale Song Recording Discovered

• [03:40–04:51]

  • Archivists at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution found a 1949 disc labeled “fish noises.”

  • Discovered to contain the world’s earliest known recorded humpback whale song—a major find for marine bioacoustics.

    Quote:
    “And so we're going to be able to provide the scientific research community with many hours of underwater recordings from a time period from which otherwise data just doesn't exist.”
    – Archivist Ashley Jester, via Bianca Garcia’s report [04:25]

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Notable Quotes & Key Moments

• “The NGA represents all governors equally and that the dinner is no longer in its official program.”
  – Sarah Petrovich [00:47]
• “We are arguing that the secretary of state shouldn't be able to just revoke a person's visa without having a valid basis in law. But we're celebrating this huge win and really excited ...”
  – Mahsa Khanbabi [01:46]
• “The study showed the Moderna flu vaccine was more effective. The decision by the FDA ... is the latest blow ... to efforts to use mRNA technology ...”
  – Sidney Lupkin [02:40]
• “And so we're going to be able to provide the scientific research community with many hours of underwater recordings from a time period from which otherwise data just doesn't exist.”
  – Ashley Jester (via Bianca Garcia) [04:25]

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Segment Timestamps

• NGA dinner controversy: [00:15–01:13]
• Tufts PhD student deportation case: [01:13–02:11]
• FDA/Moderna mRNA flu vaccine: [02:11–03:00]
• Consumer spending/economy: [03:00–03:15]
• Maine Senate race: [03:15–03:40]
• Historic whale song recording discovery: [03:40–04:51]

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This NPR News Now episode provides a brisk yet thorough snapshot of evolving U.S. political, legal, medical, economic, and scientific stories—balancing urgency with nuance.

Transcript

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[Rylan Barton]

See Terms Live from NPR News. In Washington, I'm Rylan Barton. The National Governors association says it will no longer be involved in an annual White House dinner when the bipartisan group meets in Washington next week. That's according to a letter obtained by member station WIPR in Baltimore. WIPR's Sarah Petrovich reports.

[Sarah Petrovich]

The letter, provided by a source familiar with it but not authorized to speak on it publicly, was sent to governors by NGA chair and Republican governor of Oklahoma Kevin Stitt, announcing the association would no longer serve as the dinner's facilitator. Stitt said the decision was made following notice that the White House would be limiting invitations to the annual business meeting to Republican governors only. He wrote the NGA represents all governors equally and that the dinner is no longer in its official program. He said the group would seek clarity about the invitations. White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt said Trump would have a dinner and, quote, invite whomever he wants. For NPR News, I'm Sarah Petrovich.

[Rylan Barton]

In Annapolis, an immigration judge has blocked the deportation of Tufts University PhD student Rameisa Ozturk. She was detained for over a month last year as part of the Trump administration's effort to target and deport international students advocating for Palestinian rights. From member station WBUR in Boston, Simone Rios has more.

[Simone Rios]

The judge's ruling stops efforts by ICE deport her to Turkey, but Osterk still faces legal challenges. Her attorney, Mahsa Khanbabi, says federal court proceedings regarding her client's legal status are ongoing in Vermont.

[Mahsa Khanbabi]

We are arguing that the secretary of state shouldn't be able to just revoke a person's visa without having a valid basis in law. But we're celebrating this huge win and really excited to see that justice is prevailing.

[Simone Rios]

Austerk is also suing the government for deactivating her status in a program that allows foreign students to study in the US For NPR News, I'm Simone Rios in Boston.

[Rylan Barton]

The Food and Drug Administration has dealt a setback to a biotech company that created one of the COVID 19,MRNA vaccines. NPR's Sidney Lupkin has the story on the agency's rejection of a new kind of flu vaccine.

[Sidney Lupkin]

Vaccine maker Moderna says the FDA is refusing to consider approving the company's first flu vaccine, which also uses MRNA technology the FDA told the company the agency isn't satisfied with a company study comparing Moderna's MRNA FL vaccine to a standard dose flu vaccine already on the market. The study showed the Moderna flu vaccine was more effective. The decision by the fda, which Moderna said is inconsistent with the agency's previous feedback, is the latest blow the Trump administration has delivered to efforts to use MRNA technology to develop new vaccines. Sidney Lupkin, NPR News.

[Rylan Barton]

Shoppers unexpectedly slowed spending in December, closing out the holiday season and the year on a lackluster note. The the Commerce Department report surprised economists who were looking for growth despite mounting concerns about slowing job numbers. This is NPR News from Washington. Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins says she'll run for re election. Democrats are targeting the seat in their effort to retake the Senate majority in Congress in this year's midterm elections. A GOP moderate, Collins has defended the seat for decades, casting herself as a reflection of Maine's independent spirit. But she's facing criticism for not condemning President Trump's immigration crackdown. Democratic Governor Janet Mills and oyster farmer Graham Platner are top Democratic challengers. Archivists at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts were browsing their collection when they came across a disc labeled fish noises. What they heard on the recording was not that. Bianca Garcia from member station WBUR has more.

[Bianca Garcia]

Almost 80 years ago, an unidentified scientist pressed record on a dictation machine.

[Mahsa Khanbabi]

Date 7th, March, 1949.

[Bianca Garcia]

Researchers then were sailing Bermuda, testing sonar technology, when they heard something they didn't recognize, but they kept recording. Archivist Ashley Jester found the disc in the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution's collection. Her team identified the sound humpback whales. And so we're going to be able to provide the scientific research community with many hours of underwater recordings from a time period from which otherwise data just doesn't exist. According to Jester, it's the earliest sonic record of whale song. For NPR News, I'm Bianca Garcia in Boston.

[Rylan Barton]

And I'm Ryland Barton. You're listening to NPR News from Washington.

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