NPR News Now: 02-14-2026, 12AM EST

Host: Dale Willman
Date: February 14, 2026

Episode Overview

This five-minute NPR News update covers significant global and domestic news stories as of February 14, 2026. Key topics include U.S. military actions toward Iran, a federal injunction on immigration enforcement in religious spaces, a UK court's ruling on a pro-Palestinian group, transatlantic relations highlighted at the Munich Security Conference, Anthropic's AI education partnership, a Stanford protest mistrial, and concerns over Iranian Nobel laureate Narjas Mohammadi's health.

Key News Highlights & Discussion

1. U.S. Sends Aircraft Carrier to the Middle East

Segment Start: [00:18]

• Announcement: President Trump dispatched the USS Gerald Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, to the Mideast to increase pressure on Tehran regarding its nuclear program.
• Trump's Remarks:
  • Spoke at Fort Bragg, addressing military families.
  • Quote:

    "We have a situation right now where we sent a very big carrier group to Iran. I'd love to see if we could make a deal. They've been difficult to make a deal. I thought we would have had a deal last time. They wish they did."
    — President Donald Trump [00:36]

  • Trump also commented that a change in power in Iran would be "the best thing that could happen."

2. Federal Judge Blocks ICE Actions in Houses of Worship

Segment Start: [01:10]

• Background: After policy changes in early 2025, immigration agents resumed enforcement at sensitive sites, including churches.
• Legal Action:
  • Religious organizations sued the government.
  • Massachusetts judge issued a preliminary injunction blocking most ICE enforcement at houses of worship, citing potential First Amendment violations.
  • Some exceptions remain, but arrests are largely halted pending further court decisions.
• Reporting:

  "The injunction lays out some limited circumstances under which arrests could still take place, but largely prevents such actions until the case can be heard in full."
  — Jason DeRose, NPR [01:10]

3. UK Court Rules on Palestine Action Ban

Segment Start: [01:49]

• Court Decision: London's high court found the government's ban on "Palestine Action" as a terror group unlawful, but allowed the ban to remain pending appeal.
• Background:
  • Group known for vandalizing UK arms factories.
  • Ban criminalized displaying support (placards, T-shirts, etc.); thousands were arrested, with penalties up to 14 years.
• Activist/Legal Impact: Sparked protests and debate about free speech, especially amid the Gaza war.
• Memorable Moment:

  "Cheers went up through the crowd outside a London court where judges ruled the government's labeling of Palestine Action as a terror group was, quote, disproportionate."
  — Lauren Frayer, NPR [02:02]

4. Munich Security Conference: Transatlantic Rift

Segment Start: [02:45]

• Chancellor Friedrich Merz: Opened by addressing strains between the U.S. and Europe.
• Quote/Key Points:
  • "There's a rift in transatlantic relations."
  • Encouraged creation of a "new transatlantic partnership."
  • Referenced last year's address by Vice President J.D. Vance that strained relations further.
• Context: U.S.-Europe unity under scrutiny after pointed criticism of European democracy.

5. Anthropic Partners with CodePath on AI Education

Segment Start: [03:35]

• Initiative:
  • Anthropic collaborates with CodePath to update computer science courses, aiming to reach 20,000+ students—many from low-income backgrounds.
  • Students will access Anthropic’s AI chatbot "Claude" and code-generation tools.
• Broader Trend: Google and OpenAI also engage with academia.
• Employment Relevance:
  • Survey data shows increased employer expectations for AI tool proficiency among graduates.
• Quote:

  "Anthropic says its partnership will give more than 20,000 students, many from low income backgrounds, access to the chatbot Claude and coding tool Claude Code."
  — Lee Gaines, NPR [03:35]

6. Stanford Protest Mistrial

Segment Start: [04:16]

• Case: Five (current/former) Stanford students faced felony vandalism and conspiracy charges related to a 2024 pro-Palestinian protest.
• Event: Judge declared a mistrial.
• Arguments:
  • Prosecution: Protesters broke furniture and trespassed.
  • Defense: Actions were constitutionally protected speech; no intent to damage property.

7. Health Deterioration of Iranian Nobel Laureate

Segment Start: [04:36]

• Person: Narjas Mohammadi, imprisoned Iranian Nobel Peace Prize Laureate.
• Breaking Development:
  • Her husband, Raji Rahmani, told AP that Mohammadi’s health is worsening, linking it to a beating during her recent arrest.
  • She was sentenced to an additional seven years in prison this week.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• President Trump [00:36]:

  "We have a situation right now where we sent a very big carrier group to Iran. I'd love to see if we could make a deal."

• Lauren Frayer on London ruling [02:02]:

  "Cheers went up through the crowd outside a London court where judges ruled the government's labeling of Palestine Action as a terror group was, quote, disproportionate."

• Lee Gaines on AI education [03:35]:

  "Anthropic says its partnership will give more than 20,000 students, many from low income backgrounds, access to the chatbot Claude and coding tool Claude Code."

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:18] U.S. Sends Aircraft Carrier to Middle East
• [01:10] Judge Blocks ICE Enforcement in Churches
• [01:49] UK Court on Palestine Action Ban
• [02:45] Munich Security Conference: Europe-U.S. Rift
• [03:35] Anthropic & AI Education Partnership
• [04:16] Stanford Protest Mistrial
• [04:36] Narjas Mohammadi: Health Concerns

Brief, insightful, and wide-ranging, this episode provides listeners with a global snapshot of today’s most important stories.