NPR News Now: February 13, 2026, 3AM EST — Detailed Summary

Episode Overview

This five-minute NPR News Now update delivers a concise roundup of major national and international news for early February 13, 2026. The episode centers on dramatic policy changes by the Trump administration regarding climate change, a looming Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown, developments on immigration enforcement, renewed efforts for a nuclear deal with Iran, a significant election in Bangladesh, and a remarkable astronomy discovery.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Trump Administration Revokes Climate Change Endangerment Finding

• [00:15-00:46]
  President Trump announced the official termination of the “endangerment finding,” which has been the legal basis for federal action on climate change since the Obama era.
  • Quote:

    “We are officially terminating the so-called endangerment finding, a disastrous Obama-era policy that severely damaged the American auto industry and massively drove up prices for American consumers.”
    — President Donald Trump [00:26]

  • Details:
    • Trump criticizes the policy for harming the auto industry and raising prices.
    • The endangerment finding linked greenhouse gas emissions to human health.
    • Federal tailpipe emissions standards for cars and trucks also eliminated.
    • Move is expected to prompt lengthy court challenges.

2. Imminent Partial Shutdown of the Department of Homeland Security

• [00:46-01:47]
  DHS funding is set to expire, with the Senate failing to pass a funding bill.
  • Reporter: Barbara Sprunt
  • Background: The failed vote followed Senate Democrats’ insistence on major department policy changes after two fatal shootings by immigration enforcement in Minneapolis.
  • Key Points:
    • Bipartisan negotiations on department reforms have stalled.
    • Democrats stress the need for changes to occur via legislative means, not executive orders.
  • Quote:

    “Democrats have said that any changes must be made through the legislative process, not by executive order, in order to ensure that they're codified into law.”
    — Barbara Sprunt [01:41]

3. End to Minnesota Immigration Crackdown

• [01:47-02:17]
  • Trump’s border czar, Tom Holman, declares the end of a controversial immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota.
  • The crackdown saw mass protests, thousands of arrests, and two fatal shootings.

4. US-Israel Meeting on Iran Nuclear Deal and Gaza Stabilization

• [02:17-03:00]
  • President Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discuss prospects for a new nuclear deal with Iran.
  • Reporter: Daniel Estrin
  • Quotes:

    “I will not hide from you that I expressed general skepticism regarding the nature of any agreement with Iran.”
    — Benjamin Netanyahu, as reported by Daniel Estrin [02:31]

  • Netanyahu insists any agreement must address Iran’s missiles and proxies.
  • Trump is planning to convene his Board of Peace in Washington.
  • NPR sources: US expected to announce a multinational stabilization force for Gaza and billions earmarked for reconstruction.

5. Federal Judge Blocks Pentagon Action Against Senator Mark Kelly

• [03:00-03:20]
  • A judge has stopped Pentagon attempts to punish Senator Kelly (D-AZ) for a video urging troops to resist unlawful orders.

6. Bangladesh Opposition Claims Election Win

• [03:20-03:57]
  • The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) proclaims victory in the first parliamentary election since the 2024 uprising that ousted Sheikh Hasina.
  • No final results yet but BNP claims parliamentary majority.
  • Background: BNP previously spent years in opposition, boycotting elections and accusing Hasina’s government of repression.

7. Vanished Star in Andromeda Suggests Black Hole Formation

• [03:57-04:45]
  • NPR’s Nell Greenfield Boyce reports on astronomers discovering what may be the birth of a black hole.
  • Scientist: Kesha Loy Day, Columbia University & Flatiron Institute
  • Quote:

    “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.”
    — Kesha Loy Day [04:17]

  • The star, after brightening, vanished—a theoretical, but rarely observed phenomenon signifying a star’s transformation into a black hole.

8. Financial Markets in Asia

• [04:45-04:55]
  • Most markets fell; Japan’s Nikkei dropped 1.2%.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• President Donald Trump (On policy change):
  “We are officially terminating the so-called endangerment finding, a disastrous Obama-era policy that severely damaged the American auto industry and massively drove up prices for American consumers.” [00:26]

• Barbara Sprunt (On legislative change):
  “Democrats have said that any changes must be made through the legislative process, not by executive order, in order to ensure that they're codified into law.” [01:41]

• Prime Minister Netanyahu (Skepticism on Iran deal):
  “I will not hide from you that I expressed general skepticism regarding the nature of any agreement with Iran.” [02:31]

• Kesha Loy Day (On the Andromeda 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.” [04:17]

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Segment | Description | Timestamp | |---------|-------------|-----------| | Trump revokes endangerment finding | National climate change policy rollback | 00:15-00:46 | | DHS funding, shutdown threat | Political gridlock and context | 00:46-01:47 | | End of MN immigration crackdown | Enforcement developments | 01:47-02:17 | | US-Israel: Iran/Gaza | Diplomacy and Middle East updates | 02:17-03:00 | | Block on Pentagon vs. Sen. Kelly | Legal ruling | 03:00-03:20 | | Bangladesh election | International politics | 03:20-03:57 | | Andromeda black hole | Science discovery | 03:57-04:45 | | Asian markets update | Financial news | 04:45-04:55 |

Conclusion

This NPR News Now episode delivers quick, substantive coverage of late-breaking US policy actions and key international stories. From dramatic reversals of climate change rules to tense political negotiations, global diplomacy, and a star’s mysterious vanishing act, it’s a snapshot of a pivotal moment in world events for February 2026.