NPR News: 02-14-2026 2AM EST

Summary

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NPR News Now: February 14, 2026, 2AM EST

Host: Dale Willman
Duration: ~5 minutes

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Overview

This NPR News Now episode delivers a concise roundup of major overnight news headlines, focusing on the federal government shutdown, immigration policy costs, ongoing Olympic updates, a thwarted terrorist incident in Paris, legal developments involving Don Lemon, and winners in the Winter Olympics. The reporting maintains NPR’s straightforward, factual tone, providing key developments and direct statements from those involved.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Partial Government Shutdown

Segment Start: 00:16

• The federal government is in a partial shutdown for the third time in three months.
• Funding for the Department of Homeland Security expired at midnight Eastern Time due to a lack of agreement in Congress.
• According to Sam Greenglass, negotiations have stalled, with both parties at an impasse over new immigration enforcement checks after a fatal incident involving federal agents.
  • Both chambers have left for a scheduled recess and are not expected to return for another week, leaving the situation unresolved.

Notable Quote:

“Negotiations are ongoing, but with no vote in sight, lawmakers packed up and left, and because of the scheduled recess, they’re not expected to be back for another week.”
— Sam Greenglass [00:56]

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2. Third Country Deportations Cost Report

Segment Start: 01:03

• Congressional Democrats are holding out on DHS funding until their demands for reforms at ICE are met.
• A new report commissioned by Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) estimates that the Trump administration’s third country deportation policies have cost at least $40 million so far.
  • $32 million went to agreements with five countries (including Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, Palau) to accept deportees.
  • $7.2 million was spent on deportation flights.
  • These recipient countries have histories of human rights concerns and corruption.
  • The actual costs may be higher than stated.

Notable Quote:

“Some of these countries have records of human rights violations and corruption. The Trump administration has aggressively cracked down on illegal and legal migration, deporting hundreds of thousands of people.”
— Sergio Martinez Beltran [01:51]

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3. Lindsey Vaughn’s Injury and Recovery

Segment Start: 02:10

• Olympic skier Lindsey Vaughn suffered a catastrophic leg injury during a downhill race.
  • She’s been hospitalized in Treviso, Italy, with a complex tibia fracture.
  • Multiple operations have been performed, with at least two more surgeries anticipated.
  • Vaughn released a video update from her hospital bed expressing gradual physical and emotional recovery.

Memorable Moment:

“I’m final, more like myself, but have a long, long way to go.”
— Lindsey Vaughn, video statement [02:51]

• She plans to transfer home after another surgery in Italy, followed by additional surgery in the U.S.

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4. Attempted Terrorist Attack in Paris

Segment Start: 03:11

• French police thwarted a knife attack at the Arc de Triomphe during the daily rekindling of the flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.
  • The attacker stabbed an officer (minor injuries) and was subsequently killed by police.
  • The suspect recently finished a 17-year prison term in Belgium for attacking police and was known to authorities.
  • France’s anti-terrorism unit has opened an investigation.
  • President Macron responded with a statement on resilience against terrorism.

Notable Quote:

“France’s interior minister says the suspect was known to authorities and recently completed a 17 year prison sentence in Belgium for attacking two police officers there.”
— Rebecca Rossman [03:36]

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5. Don Lemon Pleads Not Guilty to Federal Charges

Segment Start: 04:05

• Former CNN anchor Don Lemon pleaded not guilty to federal civil rights charges in Minnesota.
  • Arrest occurred during a protest at a church in St. Paul; Lemon states he was covering the event as an independent journalist.
  • Prosecutors allege he participated in what they termed a “mob.”

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6. Winter Olympics Highlights

Segment Start: 04:25

• Mikhail Shadorov of Kazakhstan secured the nation's first ever Winter Olympic gold in the free skate after U.S. skater Ilya Malinin fell from first to eighth.
• Japan’s Yuma Kageyama earned silver in cross-country skiing.
• Norway’s Johannes Hossflatt Klebo tied the Winter Olympic gold record with his 8th gold, winning the 10-kilometer start race. He is expected to compete in three more events in Italy.

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Timeline of Major Segments

• 00:16 – Partial government shutdown updates, Congressional impasse
• 01:03 – Costs and implications of Trump-era third country deportations
• 02:10 – Lindsey Vaughn’s injury, hospitalization, and recovery outlook
• 03:11 – Attempted terrorist attack in Paris and police response
• 04:05 – Don Lemon’s not guilty plea and protest arrest context
• 04:25 – Winter Olympic results and historical moments

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Notable Quotes Recap

• “Negotiations are ongoing, but with no vote in sight, lawmakers packed up and left…” — Sam Greenglass [00:56]
• “Some of these countries have records of human rights violations and corruption.” — Sergio Martinez Beltran [01:51]
• “I’m final, more like myself, but have a long, long way to go.” — Lindsey Vaughn [02:51]
• “France’s interior minister says the suspect was known to authorities and recently completed a 17 year prison sentence in Belgium…” — Rebecca Rossman [03:36]

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This five-minute news update offers a sharp, clear-eyed look at pressing national and international stories as of early February 14, 2026.

Transcript

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[Dale Willman]

Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. For the third time in three months, the federal government is in a partial government shutdown. At this hour, funding ran out at midnight Eastern time for the Department of homeland security. As NPR's Sam Greenglass tells us, negotiations have not been going very well.

[Sam Greenglass]

Democrats and Republicans have been trading offers over the last several days. That started with a list of Democrats demands to put new checks on immigration enforcement after two US Citizens in Minneapolis were killed by federal agents last month. But Senate Majority Leader John Thune told us yesterday that the two sides are not close. Negotiations are ongoing, but with no vote in sight, lawmakers packed up and left, and because of the scheduled recess, they're not expected to be back for another week.

[Dale Willman]

That's NPR's Sam Greenglass with our report. Democrats in Congress, meanwhile, say they're against any DHS funding until they get the changes with ICE that they are demanding. The total cost so far of The Trump administration's third country deportations is at least $40 million. That's according to a report commissioned by U.S. senator Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat from New Hampshire. NPR's Sergio Martinez Beltran has our reports.

[Sergio Martinez Beltran]

The report is based on a review of agreements through January, staff, travel and communications with U.S. and foreign government officials. The report states that the U.S. has sent more than $32 million to five countries to accept third country deportees, including Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda and Palau. It estimates the Trump administration spent more than $7.2 million on third country deportation flights. The the senator says that's likely an undercount. Some of these countries have records of human rights violations and corruption. The Trump administration has aggressively cracked down on illegal and legal migration, deporting hundreds of thousands of people. Sergio Martinez Beltran, NPR News, Austin.

[Dale Willman]

Lindsey Vaughn says she'll need at least two more surgeries to fix her broken left leg. The skier released a new video statement that comes five days after her catastrophic crash in in the olympic downhill race. NPR's Becky Sullivan reports from Italy.

[Becky Sullivan]

Vaughn has been hospitalized in Treviso, a city a couple hours outside of Cortina d' Ampezzo, ever since the race on Sunday. The crash caused a complex tibia fracture in her left leg. An earlier photo she posted showed her in the hospital bed with an external fixator stabilizing her leg, an indication that the injury was severe. She has already received multiple operations. In the video, Von is seen wearing a hospital gown, lying in bed as she says, it's been a difficult few days.

[Lindsey Vaughn]

I'm final, more like myself, but have a long, long way to go.

[Becky Sullivan]

Fawn says she hopes to be able to transfer home after another surgery Saturday here in Italy. She said she will need at least one more surgery after returning home, too. Becky Sullivan, NPR News, Cortina d', Ampezzo, Italy.

[Dale Willman]

And you're listening to NPR News. In Paris, police stopped an attempted terrorist attack at the Arc de Trio Friday night. As Rebecca Rossman reports, the suspect is now dead and was known to police.

[Rebecca Rossman]

It happened at around 6pm local time. A man wielding a knife stabbed a police officer who was participating in a daily rekindling of the flame at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, located just under the Arc de Triomphe. The officer was lightly injured. The assailant was killed by other officers. France's interior minister says the suspect was known to authorities and recently completed a 17 year prison sentence in Belgium for attacking two police officers there. France's anti terrorism unit has opened an investigation. In a post on X, Macron said in the face of Islamic terrorism, the republican flame will always resist. For NPR News, I'm Rebecca Rossman.

[Dale Willman]

In Paris, former CNN journalist Don Lemon pleaded not guilty Friday to federal civil rights charges in Minnesota. Lemon is one of several people arrested during a protest at city's church in St. Paul. A nice official serves as a pastor there. Lemon says he was covering the protest as an independent journalist. Prosecutors accuse him of joining what they call a mob. Mikhail Shadorov of Kazakhstan won that country's first ever winter gold medal in the free skate Olympic competition Friday night after Ilya Malinin had two falls in his short program. The US Skater fell from first to eighth. Japan's Yuma Kageyama won the silver in cross country skiing. Meanwhile, Johannes Hossflatt Klebo of Norway received a record tying 8th gold medal after winning the 10 kilometer start race. He'll be competing through three more times in Italy. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.

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