NPR News Now – February 16, 2026, 11PM EST

Host: Jael Snyder
Duration: 5 Minutes
Date: February 17, 2026

Overview

This concise NPR News Now episode delivers the top global and national headlines in under five minutes. The main stories include rising US-Iran tensions with calls for military action, evidence access concerns in a Minnesota police shooting, a historic Japanese Olympic figure skating win, a controversy over a George Washington slavery exhibit, Brazil’s pre-election Carnaval drama, and market news from Tokyo.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. US-Iran Tensions and Senator Lindsey Graham’s Remarks

[00:15–01:15]

• Senator Lindsey Graham Calls For Strikes: After meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham publicly stated that if US diplomatic efforts with Iran fail, military strikes should be considered within weeks, aiming to topple the Iranian regime.
• Regime Change & Historical Parallels: Graham drew provocative historical comparisons, likening Iran's Supreme Leader to Hitler and alluding to the possibility of an assassination to achieve regime change.
• Diplomacy vs. Escalation: These comments come as talks continue, raising the stakes for US-Iran relations on both nuclear and regional security.

Notable Quotes:

• "Every day that goes by in the war, they get less capable, we get more because we have such a dominant advantage."
  — Lindsey Graham, [00:46]
• "Somebody probably asked in 1935, what would Germany look like if you killed Hitler? I wish somebody had tried successfully. ... The ayatollah represents evil incarnate to me."
  — Lindsey Graham, [01:01]

2. Ongoing Alex Preddy Shooting Investigation

[01:17–02:25]

• Federal-State Tension Over Evidence: Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension again denied access to federal evidence by the FBI for the fatal Minneapolis shooting of Alex Preddy, an ICU nurse, by Border Patrol agents on January 24.
• State Response: BCA Superintendent Drew Evans labeled the lack of federal cooperation “concerning and unprecedented,” affirming Minnesota’s intent to continue independent investigations into this and another fatal case from earlier in January.

Notable Quote:

• "The BCA's Evans calls the lack of cooperation, quote, concerning and unprecedented."
  — Brian Bakst, [02:05]

3. Olympic Pairs Figure Skating – Historic Wins

[02:25–03:12]

• Gold for Japan: Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara capture Japan’s first-ever Olympic gold in pairs figure skating, surging from fifth place after the short program.
• Georgia’s First-Ever Winter Medal: Silver goes to Anastasia Metelkina and Luka Barulava, marking a milestone for Georgia.
• US Results: US pairs didn’t medal but performed respectably, placing seventh and ninth.
• Upcoming Finale: The women’s event is slated for Tuesday.

4. Federal Ruling on George Washington Slavery Exhibit

[03:12–03:37]

• Order to Restore Exhibit: A federal judge directs the Trump administration to restore a slavery exhibit at Philadelphia’s historic President’s House, taken down by the National Park Service last month.
• Significance: The ruling was delivered on President’s Day, highlighting tensions surrounding how US history is remembered and taught.

5. Brazil’s Carnaval & Presidential Politics

[03:37–04:38]

• Samba School’s Lula Tribute Sparks Legal Debate: Political opponents argue that a Carnaval tribute to President Luis Inácio Lula da Silva amounts to illegal early campaigning, as official campaigning begins in August and the school, Niteroi Bay, receives public funding.
• Vivid Festival Scenes: Lula attended the celebration in person, watching a float depicting him alongside a clown symbolizing former president Jair Bolsonaro.
• Context for Upcoming Election: The next Brazilian election is set to be close, especially if Lula faces Flávio Bolsonaro, the former president’s son.

Notable Quote:

• "The Niteroi Bay samba school chronicled his life from a childhood in poverty to three times being elected president. One float pitted a figure of him against a clown, a reference to former far right president Jair Bolsonaro."
  — Carrie Kahn, [04:13]

6. Market Update: Tokyo

[04:38–04:50]

• Japan Stocks Down: Tokyo’s Nikkei index drops by 0.8%, marking its fourth consecutive day of declines.
• US Markets Closed: Wall Street remains inactive due to the President’s Day holiday.

Memorable Moments & Quotes

• Direct – Stark Language on Iran:
  Lindsey Graham, on assassination as regime change:
  "Somebody probably asked in 1935, what would Germany look like if you killed Hitler? ... The ayatollah represents evil incarnate to me." [01:01]

• On Law Enforcement Friction:
  "The BCA's Evans calls the lack of cooperation, quote, concerning and unprecedented." [02:05]

• Olympic Firsts:
  "Japan's Riku Miura and Ryuichi Kihara won gold, the country's first in an Olympic pairs event." [02:31]

• Carnaval as Political Theatre:
  "One float pitted a figure of him against a clown, a reference to former far right president Jair Bolsonaro." [04:18]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• US-Iran Tensions / Graham's Remarks: [00:15–01:15]
• Minnesota Police Shooting Investigation: [01:17–02:25]
• Olympic Figure Skating Results: [02:25–03:12]
• Restoration of Slavery Exhibit: [03:12–03:37]
• Brazil’s Carnaval and Politics: [03:37–04:38]
• Financial Markets Update: [04:38–04:50]

This episode delivers a rapid-fire, balanced digest of significant global and national developments, from international brinkmanship and domestic criminal investigations to sports milestones and cultural-political clashes.