NPR News: 02-14-2026 8PM EST

Summary

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NPR News Now: 02-14-2026 8PM EST

Host: Jeanine Herbst, NPR
Date: February 15, 2026

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Overview

This five-minute NPR News Now episode delivers a rapid roundup of major global and national headlines. Stories include U.S.-Europe relations at the Munich Security Conference, a partial federal government shutdown over immigration disputes, new international findings on Alexei Navalny's death, an Olympic victory for speed skater Jordan Stoltz, and the naming of a rare baby elephant at the Smithsonian's National Zoo.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

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1. U.S.-Europe Relations at the Munich Security Conference

(00:15 - 01:15)

• Secretary of State Marco Rubio addressed the Munich Security Conference, emphasizing the need for renewed U.S.-European unity while openly criticizing European policies:

  • Critique of a “climate cult” and European immigration policies, which he claims threaten Western culture.
  • Asserted the U.S. is uninterested in being “caretakers of the West’s managed decline,” signaling opposition to a passive Western role.
  • He clarified the U.S. seeks to revitalize ties with Europe, not to separate from it.

  Marco Rubio [00:47]: "We in America have no interest in being polite and orderly caretakers of the West's managed decline."

• Conference organizer Wolfgang Ischinger noted relief among attendees at the absence of divisive topics like U.S. acquisition of Greenland.

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2. U.S. Government Partial Shutdown Over Immigration

(01:15 - 02:03)

• A partial federal shutdown began as lawmakers failed to reach consensus on curbing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) immigration forces.

  • Triggered in part by the shooting deaths of two U.S. citizens by ICE agents in Minneapolis.
  • ICE remains funded due to a surplus from the previous, highly contentious budget bill.

  Ron Elving [01:34]: “There's plenty of money on hand for ICE to continue operations, even as other parts of the Department of Homeland Security have to shut down or cut back.”

• Non-immigration DHS operations, notably TSA, are hit:

  • TSA agents continue working unpaid, heightening concerns as the spring travel season approaches.

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3. Alexei Navalny’s Death Confirmed as Poisoning

(02:03 - 03:12)

• Joint investigation by Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, and the Netherlands found Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was killed using epibatidine, a potent toxin from South American poison dart frogs.

  • Contradicts Russian claims of death by natural causes.
  • Findings reinforce accusations against the Russian government, especially given Navalny’s incarceration at the time.

  Rob Schmitz [02:31]: “Navalny was held in prison when he died, meaning Russia had the means, motive and opportunity to administer the poison…”

• Navalny's widow, Yulia Navalny, called this “a validation” of her assertions that President Putin was responsible.

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4. Olympic Speed Skating: Jordan Stoltz’s Continued Success

(03:12 - 03:59)

• Jordan Stoltz wins his second gold medal at the Winter Olympics in Milan, setting a new Olympic record in the 500-meter speed skate.

  • Focus remains forward; Stoltz anticipates strong performances in upcoming events.
  • Fellow athletes and the media praise his achievements and potential.

  Jordan Stoltz [03:51]: “Yeah, I'm really happy so far to win, too. I think if I have a good 1500, it should turn out well. I'm hoping for gold in that.”

  Ping Huang [03:59]: “Medalist Laurent Debray from Canada called Stoles the greatest speed skater of all time.”

• Stoltz is now halfway to his goal of four gold medals.

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5. National Zoo Welcomes a Rare Baby Elephant

(04:13 - 04:57)

• Smithsonian’s National Zoo announces the naming of a week-and-a-half-old female Asian elephant: Linh Mai (meaning “clever” in Vietnamese).
  • Linh Mai is only the third elephant ever born at the zoo in 136 years.
  • Name chosen via public voting; over $59,000 raised for elephant care and conservation as part of the campaign.

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Memorable Quotes

• Marco Rubio [00:47]: "We in America have no interest in being polite and orderly caretakers of the West's managed decline."
• Ron Elving [01:34]: "There's plenty of money on hand for ICE to continue operations, even as other parts of the Department of Homeland Security have to shut down or cut back."
• Rob Schmitz [02:31]: "Navalny was held in prison when he died, meaning Russia had the means, motive and opportunity to administer the poison..."
• Jordan Stoltz [03:51]: "Yeah, I'm really happy so far to win, too. I think if I have a good 1500, it should turn out well. I'm hoping for gold in that."
• Ping Huang [03:59]: "Medalist Laurent Debray from Canada called Stoles the greatest speed skater of all time."

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• U.S.-Europe relations & Munich Security Conference: 00:15 – 01:15
• Federal government partial shutdown & ICE policy: 01:15 – 02:03
• Navalny poisoning investigation update: 02:03 – 03:12
• Olympic speed skating - Jordan Stoltz: 03:12 – 03:59
• National Zoo elephant calf naming: 04:13 – 04:57

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This summary captures the essential headlines for listeners who missed the broadcast, providing context, direct speaker quotes, and clear segmentation of each story.

Transcript

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[Jeanine Herbst]

See Terms live from NPR News. In Washington, I'm Jeanine Herbst. Secretary of State Marco Rubio says Europe and the US Belong together, but he says both sides have made mistakes that need to be fixed. He made the comments at the Munich security conference. As NPR's Mich Kellerman reports, Rubio criticized.

[Mich Kellerman]

Europeans for what he called a climate cult and for allowing mass migration, which he says threatens Western culture. But he says the US And Europe should work together not to rationalize a broken system, but to fix it, for.

[Marco Rubio]

We in America have no interest in being polite and orderly caretakers of the West's managed decline.

[Mich Kellerman]

But he says the Trump administration doesn't want to separate from Europe, rather revitalize an old friendship. Responding to that, conference organizer Wolfgang Ischinger says some in the room breathed a sigh of relief. There was no talk about taking over Greenland or other transatlantic irritants. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, Munich.

[Jeanine Herbst]

Another shutdown for part of the federal government is underway after lawmakers couldn't agree on how to rein in the Department of Homeland Security's immigration forces. This after two US Citizens were shot and killed by ICE agents in Minneapolis. Funding ran out at midnight for parts of the agency, but not immigration. NPR's Ron Elving has more.

[Ron Elving]

There's plenty of money on hand for ICE to continue operations, even as other parts of the Department of Homeland Security have to shut down or cut back. That's because ICE got a huge war chest from the last big funding bill, the one Trump called the one big beautiful bill. This may be one reason he liked it so much. So Democrats know this won't keep ICE from operating, but they hope it will call attention to the relationship between ICE and DHS and put more heat on the administration of the overall agency.

[Jeanine Herbst]

NPR's Ron Elving. One non immigration group affected TSA agents who screen passengers and bags at airports. They're required to work without pay, and experts say that could cause travel problems. This as the busy spring travel season approaches. Five European countries say authorities are confident that Alexei Navalny, the Russian opposition leader who died in a remote prison two years ago, was poisoned and peers run. Rob Schmitz Rather reports.

[Rob Schmitz]

A statement from Britain, France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands states that authorities conclude Navalny was poisoned with the lethal toxin epibatidine found in poison dart frogs in South America. Russia claimed the opposition leader died of natural causes, but according to the statement, poisoning was, quote, highly likely the cause of his death. Navalny was held in prison when he died, meaning Russia had the means, motive and opportunity to administer the poison to him, read the statement. Navalny's widow, Yulia Navalny, told reporters at the Munich Security conference that the finding is a validation of her long standing assertion that Russian President Vladimir Putin was responsible for her husband's death. Rob Schmitz, NPR News, Munich.

[Jeanine Herbst]

You're listening to NPR News from Washington. US Speed skater Jordan Stoltz slid into another Olympic victory today in Italy. As NPR's Ping Huang reports in, he's halfway to his goal of four gold medals.

[Ping Huang]

In Milan in the 500 meter speed skate, Stolz was paired with Jenning Dube, a top sprinter from the Netherlands. It was a rematch between them. They last raced side by side in the 1000 meter event on Wednesday to the same result. Stolz winning gold, setting a new Olympic record. Deboe close behind with the silver. Stoles wasn't basking in his victories. He was looking ahead to his next event, the 1500 meters Thursday.

[Jordan Stoltz]

Yeah, I'm really happy so far to win, too. I think if I have a good 1500, it should turn out well. I'm hoping for gold in that bronze.

[Ping Huang]

Medalist Laurent Debray from Canada called Stoles the greatest speed skater of all time. Stolz will also race in the Mass Start event next Saturday. He's hoping to win gold in all of them. Ping Huang, NPR News, Milan.

[Jeanine Herbst]

The Smithsonian national zoo in Washington, D.C. says a week and a half year old Asian female elephant now has a name, Linh Mai, a Vietnamese name that means the 308 pound calf is the first elephant born at the zoo in almost 25 years. And she's only the third elephant ever born in the zoo's 136 year history. The zoo says fans were invited to vote on a selection of names in exchange for at least a five dollar donation. All told, they raised nearly $59,000 and all of those donations support the zoo's Asian Elephant Care and Conservation Program. I'm Jeanine Herbst and you're listening to NPR News from Washington.

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