NPR News: 02-12-2026 6PM EST

Summary

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NPR News Now – February 12, 2026, 6PM EST

Host: Ryland Barton (NPR)
Duration: 5 minutes
Summary Prepared By: [Your Name]

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Episode Overview

This episode delivers the latest national and international headlines, focusing on major political, scientific, and human-interest stories. Key topics include the Trump administration’s rollback of climate regulations, contentious Senate immigration hearings, a New Jersey congressional primary upset, U.S. jobless claims data, Switzerland’s upcoming referendum on population limits, a possible birth of a black hole in the Andromeda galaxy, and a feel-good story about a lost prosthetic leg reunited with its owner.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

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1. Climate Policy Rollback by Trump Administration (00:15–01:14)

• Main Point:
  The Trump administration announces the elimination of a cornerstone climate regulation—the "endangerment finding"—which allowed the EPA to regulate greenhouse gases from fossil fuels.

• Details & Insights:

  • The EPA will no longer officially recognize greenhouse gases as a public health threat, reversing an Obama-era policy.
  • President Trump calls it "the single largest deregulatory action in American history."
    • Quote (Trump, paraphrased by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin):
      "I'm pleased to be joined today by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, who you all know and to announce the single largest deregulatory action in American history." (00:50)
  • Environmental groups vow to challenge the decision in court, maintaining the scientific consensus supporting the original regulation's necessity.

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2. Senate Hearings on Immigration Enforcement (01:14–02:07)

• Main Point:
  Top immigration officials testify before the Senate about controversial enforcement tactics.

• Details & Insights:

  • Focus on the fatal shooting of Alex Preddy by federal agents in Minneapolis.
  • Senator Rand Paul presents video evidence to highlight concerns about the justification for the shooting.
    • Quote (Sen. Rand Paul):
      "I see nothing here. I mean, not even a hint of something that was aggressive on his part. Everything was retreat." (01:42)
  • CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott clarifies that neither he nor anyone in his agency characterized Preddy’s actions as terrorism, contrary to earlier statements by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.

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3. Political Upset in New Jersey Congressional Primary (02:07–03:02)

• Main Point:
  Lilia Mejia defeats former Congressman Tom Malinowski in an unexpected win during the special Democratic primary.

• Details & Insights:

  • Mejia, a community organizer and immigrant’s daughter, aligns herself with progressive groups and leaders such as Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
  • Her campaign emphasized progressive stances, notably the abolition of ICE due to recent enforcement incidents.
  • She will now face Republican Joe Hathaway, the Randolph Township mayor, in the special election.
  • Contextual Note:
    The win is notable given Malinowski's former incumbency and fundraising advantages.

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4. U.S. Unemployment Claims Remain Low (03:02–03:17)

• Main Point:
  New unemployment claims fell last week, consistent with a strong job market.

• Details & Insights:

  • Filings remain within a “historically healthy range,” suggesting ongoing labor market stability.

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5. Switzerland to Vote on Population Cap (03:17–03:48)

• Main Point:
  Switzerland plans a referendum on capping its population at 10 million.

• Details & Insights:

  • Current population is around 9.1 million.
  • Supporters cite strains on resources, infrastructure, and the social safety net.
  • Critics caution that limiting population growth could harm international commitments and the economy, which benefits from foreign labor.

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6. Astronomers Witness Star Disappear – Possible Black Hole Birth (03:48–04:36)

• Main Point:
  Astronomers may have observed a massive star collapsing directly into a black hole in the Andromeda galaxy.

• Details & Insights:

  • Researchers tracking brightness of stars found one that briefly brightened and then vanished around 2015–2016.
  • Quote (Dr. Keisha Loy Day, Columbia University):
    "What we found was that somewhere around 2015, 2016 or so, it actually brightened in infrared light for about a year before it essentially plummeted and disappeared." (04:08)
  • The event, reported in Science, may be the first observational evidence of a star collapsing directly into a black hole without a supernova.

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7. Human-Interest: Lost Prosthetic Leg Returned (04:36–04:56)

• Main Point:
  A swimmer in England is reunited with her prosthetic leg after 10 months.

• Details & Insights:

  • Brenda Ogden lost her titanium leg to a wave in April.
  • A beachcomber, finding it 15 miles away, used social media to return it to Ogden.
  • Memorable Moment:
    The heartwarming outcome underscores the power of community and connectivity.

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Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• Trump’s Deregulatory Move:
  "I'm pleased to be joined today by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, who you all know and to announce the single largest deregulatory action in American history." – EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin (00:50)

• Sen. Rand Paul on Preddy Shooting Video:
  "I see nothing here. I mean, not even a hint of something that was aggressive on his part. Everything was retreat." – Rand Paul (01:42)

• Scientific Insight on Vanishing Star:
  "What we found was that somewhere around 2015, 2016 or so, it actually brightened in infrared light for about a year before it essentially plummeted and disappeared." – Dr. Keisha Loy Day (04:08)

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Segment Timestamps

• 00:15 – Climate change regulation rollback announced
• 01:14 – Immigration hearings on Senate floor
• 02:07 – New Jersey special election primary upset
• 03:02 – U.S. unemployment claims
• 03:17 – Switzerland’s population cap referendum
• 03:48 – Star collapse, possible black hole in Andromeda
• 04:36 – Prosthetic leg lost and found story

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End of Summary

Transcript

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[Ryland Barton]

See Terms live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. The Trump administration is eliminating the basis for much of the federal government's work on climate change. NPR's Jeff Brady reports. The move comes as scientists say the last three years were the hotte.

[Jeff Brady]

The Environmental Protection Agency is eliminating its own finding that greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels endanger public health. The Obama era endangerment finding allowed the EPA to regulate climate pollution from cars, power plants and the oil and gas industry. President Trump announced the change at the White House.

[EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin]

I'm pleased to be joined today by EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin, who you all know and to announce the single largest deregulatory action in American history.

[Jeff Brady]

Environmental groups say the Trump EPA is violating the law and that the science behind the original endangerment finding is stronger than ever. They plan to challenge the decision in court. Jeff Brady, NPR News.

[Ryland Barton]

Top immigration officials testified before a Senate committee over immigration enforcement tactics that have come under scrutiny. Republican Chair Rand Paul played a video showing the events leading up to the second of two fatal shootings in Minneapolis. As NPR's Barbara Sprunt reports from ICE.

[Barbara Sprunt]

And Customs and Border Protection said the investigation into the killing of Alex Preddy is ongoing. Paul paused the video at moments, saying he didn't see Preddy acting aggressively towards officers.

[EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin]

I see nothing here. I mean, not even a hint of something that was aggressive on his part. Everything was retreat.

[Barbara Sprunt]

Almost immediately after Preddy was killed, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said he committed an act of domestic terrorism. CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott told the committee he never described pretty in those terms to nome, nor was he anyone in his agency doing so. Barbara Sprent, NPR News, Washington.

[Ryland Barton]

And a Lilia Mejia has scored an upset in the Democratic primary of a special election to fill the congressional seat left vacant by New Jersey Governor Mikey Sherrill, according to a race call by the Associated Press. Kenneth Burns with member station WHYY Reports.

[Kenneth Burns]

Mejia bested former Congressman Tom Malinowski, who was aiming for a political comeback. This is despite Malinowski's name recognition and fundraising success. Mejia, a community organizer and daughter of immigrants, aligned herself with several progressive groups and politicians, including Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren, and New York Representative Alexandria Ocasio Cortez. She has also been staunch in her call to abolish ice, especially in light of the agency's recent immigration enforcement tactics. In Minnesota, where federal agents shot and killed two US Citizens. Mejia will now face the lone Republican in the special election race, Randolph Township Mayor Joe Hathaway. For NPR News, I'm Kenneth Burns.

[Ryland Barton]

The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits fell last week, remaining within the historically healthy range of the past few years. Filings for unemployment benefits are viewed as representative of U.S. layoffs. You're listening to NPR News. Switzerland will hold a referendum on whether to cap its population at 10 million. The population is currently about 9.1 million. Supporters say the wealthy alpine nation's natural resources, infrastructure, infrastructure and social safety net are being strained. Critics say Switzerland benefits from foreign born labor and restrictions could violate its international commitments. A star in the nearby Andromeda Galaxy has essentially vanished. NPR's Nell Greenfield Boyce reports that some astronomers think it indicates the birth of a black hole.

[Nell Greenfield Boyce]

Recently, some researchers were going through archival data from a NASA spacecraft to track any changes in the brightness of millions of stars over a 15 year period, and this one massive star stood out as unusual. Keisha Loy Day is an astronomer with Columbia University and the Flatiron Institute.

[Keisha Loy Day]

What we found was that somewhere around 2015, 2016 or so, it actually brightened in infrared light for about a year before it essentially plummeted and disappeared.

[Nell Greenfield Boyce]

In the journal Science, he and his colleagues say the best explanation for this star winking out is that it ran out of fuel and imploded, transforming into a black hole, something that's been seen as theoretically possible but hard to detect. Nell Greenfield Boyce, NPR News.

[Ryland Barton]

A prosthetic leg lost 10 months ago by a swimmer in England has washed ashore at a Beach about 15 miles away. Brenda Ogden says she lost her custom made titanium leg when a wave knocked her over at a beach in April. A beachcomber found the leg and put photos online, eventually reuniting it with Ogden. This is NPR News.

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