NPR News Now — February 11, 2026, 10PM EST

Overview

This concise NPR News Now update, anchored by Rylan Barton, covers key political, legal, sporting, business, and international developments as of February 11, 2026. Highlights include Congressional action against Trump-era tariffs, a controversial voter ID bill, heated testimony over the Epstein case, ice dancing drama at the Winter Olympics, NATO’s new Arctic initiative, a corporate pivot from Kraft Heinz, and a unique Olympic pin-collecting tradition in Milan.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. House Votes Against Trump’s Emergency Tariffs

• [00:17–01:10]
  • Story by NPR's Scott Horsley
  • The House voted to strike down emergency tariffs on Canadian goods authorized under President Trump’s emergency declaration.
  • The measure passed with some GOP support but fell short of the two-thirds needed to override a presidential veto—rendering it largely symbolic.
  • Signals rising GOP discomfort with “costly import taxes” and House Speaker Mike Johnson’s “limits” in preventing these votes.
  • Supreme Court Watch: The Court is “weighing a challenge to Trump’s taxes on imports from around the world under a statute that never uses the word tariff.”
  • Notable Quote:
    • Scott Horsley:
      “It does signal some GOP resistance to Trump's costly import taxes as well as the limits of House Speaker Mike Johnson's ability to head off such votes.” (00:44)

2. New Voter ID Bill and Contentious Senate Response

• [01:10–01:49]
  • The House passed a bill imposing stricter voter ID requirements: proof of citizenship to register and valid photo ID to vote.
  • Democrats warn this will disenfranchise “millions of Americans,” while experts reaffirm that “voter fraud is extremely rare.”
  • The Senate is expected to strongly oppose the bill.
  • Attorney General Pam Bondi faced criticism during Capitol Hill hearings over her release of files about Jeffrey Epstein.

3. Pam Bondi Deflects in Combative Hearing on Epstein

• [01:49–02:05]
  • Bondi responded combatively to Democratic questioning about whether Donald Trump attended parties with Epstein and underage girls.
  • Notable Quote:
    • Pam Bondi:
      “This is so ridiculous... There is no evidence that Donald Trump has committed a crime. Everyone knows that this has been the most transparent presidency.” (01:49)
  • Bondi also praised Trump’s leadership on the stock market.
  • Epstein victims present indicated they’d been unable to meet with the Justice Department.

4. Winter Olympics: Ice Dancing Showdown

• [02:05–03:10]
  • Report from Steve Futterman in Milan
  • US pair Evan Bates & Madison Chock performed excellently, temporarily taking first place.
  • Ultimately, French pair Laurence Fournier Beaudry & Guillaume Cizeron bested them by a narrow 1.43 points to win gold.
  • The French team has only skated together since the previous March, marking a meteoric rise.
  • Notable Quote:
    • Steve Futterman:
      “They were next to last to take the ice and dancing to the song Paint It Black came through with an excellent performance. It put them in first place. However, not for long... they won the gold by 1.43 points.” (02:37)

5. U.S. Economy and NATO’s Arctic Shift

• [03:10–03:54]
  • Slight decline in US stock indexes, despite a stronger-than-expected jobs report.
  • NATO announces new military effort “Arctic Sentry”—a move framed as a response to both Trump’s “threatened” plans for Greenland and the enduring Russian threat in Ukraine.
  • UK plans to double troop presence in Norway; France and Germany to participate.

6. Kraft Heinz Calls Off Corporate Split

• [03:54–04:36]
  • Report by Alina Selyuk
  • Kraft Heinz’s new CEO Steve Kalain halts previously announced plan to divide the company, opting to “try resuscitating Kraft Heinz first.”
  • Company will increase investment in brands, with $600 million planned for marketing/R&D, shifting to healthier and more affordable options.
  • Warren Buffett, a key investor, had opposed the split.
  • Notable Quote:
    • Alina Selyuk:
      “Kraft Heinz is reporting another quarter of declining sales for more than two years now. And it's now budgeting $600 million for marketing and research and development...” (04:19)

7. Olympic Pin Collecting Craze in Milan

• [04:36–04:57]
  • Pin trading returns as a lively tradition at the Milan Olympics, with just 250 limited-edition pins distributed daily.
  • Collectors highlight the social and “fun” nature of the competition.

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Scott Horsley on House GOP and tariffs:
  “It does signal some GOP resistance to Trump's costly import taxes as well as the limits of House Speaker Mike Johnson's ability to head off such votes.” (00:44)

• Pam Bondi defending Trump:
  “There is no evidence that Donald Trump has committed a crime. Everyone knows that this has been the most transparent presidency.” (01:49)

• Steve Futterman on Olympic drama:
  “They were next to last to take the ice... It put them in first place. However, not for long. The French team... won the gold by 1.43 points.” (02:37)

Additional Notes

• Timestamps are provided for all key stories.
• Tone: Kept informative, concise, and consistent with NPR’s neutral delivery.
• Ads, intros, and outros were omitted for clarity.

For Further Information

Listen to the full five-minute news round-up at NPR News Now for the latest hourly updates.