NPR News: 02-16-2026 1AM EST

Summary

NPR News Now – February 16, 2026, 1AM EST

Host: Dale Willman (NPR)
Duration: ~5 minutes
Episode Theme:
A concise, up-to-the-minute news briefing covering U.S. immigration enforcement developments in Minnesota, international security discussions, Israeli West Bank policies, Winter Olympics records, box office success stories, notable sports results, and highlights from the Film Independent Spirit Awards.

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1. Major U.S. Immigration Enforcement Operation in Minnesota

Segment Start: 00:18

• Federal security presence:
  • Tom Homan, senior White House border official, confirmed on CBS’s Face the Nation that while much of the large federal immigration enforcement contingent in Minnesota has left, a small force will remain.
  • The temporary force’s purpose: to complete ongoing fraud investigations and address a protest that disrupted a church service.
• Details and rationale:
  • "Homan says more than a thousand immigration enforcement agents have already left and several hundred would be removed early in the week to get back to, quote, the original footprint." – [00:39], NPR’s Alina Selyuk
  • Some agents will stay on to finish investigations into fraud and protests.
  • An “additional security force” will remain to protect agents, especially “when they get surrounded by agitators and things get out of control.” No precise numbers were provided, beyond Homan calling the force “small” and expressing a wish for its rapid removal.

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2. Munich Security Conference – U.S. Shifts Tone on Global Order

Segment Start: 01:20

• Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s address:
  • Rubio struck a more conciliatory note than Vice President J.D. Vance did in 2025, though he continued some criticism of Western policies.
• Key arguments:
  • According to NPR’s Rob Schmitz:
    • “Last year, Vance's speech was pretty scathing, pretty critical of Europe, and Rubio maintained some of that tone. But he expanded it to include the US, saying that the entire West had been naive...” – [01:36]
    • Rubio argued the post-Cold War order, which assumed free trade would “guarantee peace and break down borders,” instead led to “out of control migration and disintegrated what he called Christian values.”
• After Munich:
  • Rubio traveled to Slovakia following the conference.

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3. Israeli Cabinet Approves New Land Seizure Measures

Segment Start: 02:01

• Policy development:
  • The Israeli cabinet authorized registering “large swaths of territory” as state land in the occupied West Bank.
• Controversy and context:
  • Critics argue the decision will hinder Palestinians’ ability to prove land ownership under Israeli legal criteria.
  • Follows recent measures to strengthen Israeli control over the West Bank.
  • President Trump, while publicly opposing formal annexation, has not intervened and is focused on Gaza-related developments.
• Current events in Gaza:
  • Ongoing lethal Israeli airstrikes; $5 billion and peacekeeping personnel pledged by various countries for Gaza’s future.
  • “Lethal Israeli strikes continued in Gaza today.” – Daniel Estrin, NPR [02:16]

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4. Winter Olympics Highlights: Norway’s Klebo Sets Gold Medal Record

Segment Start: 02:59

• Athletic milestone:
  • Johannes Hoesflot Klebo anchored Norway’s team in the 4x7.5 km relay, securing his fourth gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
  • With nine career golds, Klebo now holds the Winter Games record for most gold medals.
  • NPR notes the international scope of Olympic stories outside headline competitions.

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5. Valentine’s Day Box Office and Entertainment Updates

Segment Start: 03:25

• Box office trends:
  • “Wuthering Heights” filmmakers declined a lucrative Netflix offer to ensure theatrical release over Valentine’s Day weekend.
    • “Turns out they were right, with women making up 75% of the audience. Kiss me and let us both be damned.” – Bob Mondello, NPR [03:25]
  • The film will gross $40 million domestically and another $42 million overseas by Monday night.
• Runner-up:
  • “Goat,” an animated family comedy about teamwork and basketball, is projected to earn $34 million.
    • Memorable quote: “We’re all different, but that’s what makes us strong and together we can do something great.” [03:56]

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6. Golf and Film Awards: Notable Results

Segment Start: 04:10

• Golf:
  • Colin Morikawa won the Pebble Beach Pro Am, clinching the title with a birdie on the 18th hole—his margin: one stroke.
    • Seb Straka and Min Wu Lee tied for second, Scottie Scheffler (current world number one) finished tied for fourth with a score of 63—his 18th consecutive top-10 finish.
• Film awards:
  • Clint Bentley won Best Director at the Film Independent Spirit Awards; his Netflix film, “Train Dreams,” took Best Picture.
  • Netflix’s “Adolescence” swept TV awards.
  • “The Perfect Neighbor” won for Best Documentary.
  • Roseburn claimed the lead acting prize for “If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You.”

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Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• “More than a thousand immigration enforcement agents have already left and several hundred would be removed early in the week to get back to, quote, the original footprint.” – Alina Selyuk (00:39)
• “The entire West had been naive, that the post-Cold War rules-based global order rested on the beliefs that free trade would guarantee peace and break down borders. Instead … it led to out of control migration and had disintegrated what he called Christian values.” – Rob Schmitz on Marco Rubio (01:36)
• “Lethal Israeli strikes continued in Gaza today.” – Daniel Estrin (02:16)
• “Kiss me and let us both be damned. Wuthering Heights was both a date movie and an excuse for a girls night out.” – Bob Mondello (03:25)
• “We’re all different, but that’s what makes us strong and together we can do something great.” – “Goat” film, as relayed by NPR (03:56)

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Summary Table of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Topic | Details/Quotes | |-----------|-------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:18 | Immigration Enforcement in Minnesota | Withdrawal and small remaining security force; fraud probe focus | | 01:20 | Munich Security Conference | Marco Rubio’s speech, critique of Western policies, post-Cold War order | | 02:01 | Israeli West Bank Policy Changes | New land registration, Palestinian impact, Gaza update | | 02:59 | Winter Olympics | Klebo’s record-breaking 9th gold medal | | 03:25 | Valentine’s Day Box Office | “Wuthering Heights” success, “Goat” family film theme | | 04:10 | Pebble Beach Pro Am Golf | Morikawa’s win, Scheffler’s continued top 10 streak | | 04:10 | Film Independent Spirit Awards | “Train Dreams” wins best film and director, “Adolescence” sweeps TV |

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Overall Tone: Straightforward, informative, balanced. The reporting style is concise and unsensational, reflecting NPR’s hallmark approach to news delivery.

Transcript

[A]

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[B]

Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. White HOUSE Borders R. Tom Homan says a small federal security force will remain in Minnesota as the major immigration enforcement operation in the state draws remarks on CBS's Face the Nation, saying the force would stay for a short, undefined period of time. NPR Zelena Selyuk reports.

[C]

Homan says more than a thousand immigration enforcement agents have already left and several hundred would be removed early in the week to get back to, quote, the original footprint. Exceptions beyond that footprint, he said, will include investigators who will stay to finish the probe into allegations of fraud, as well as the protest that had disrupted a church service. Plus, Homan said an additional security force would stay to protect immigration agents to respond when they get surrounded by agitators and things get out of control. He did not specify the size of this force beyond saying small, and he said he hoped this contingent could also be removed fairly quickly. Alina Seluk, NPR News, Washington.

[B]

The annual Munich security conference wrapped up on Sunday. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke at the event this weekend and struck a more conciliatory tone than that chosen by Vice President J.D. vance when he spoke to the conference in 2025.

[D]

Last year, Vance's speech was pretty scathing, pretty critical of Europe, and Rubio maintained some of that tone. But he expanded it to include the US Saying that the entire west had been naive, that the post Cold War rules based global order rested on the beliefs that free trade would guarantee peace and break down borders. Instead, he argued, it led to out of control migration and had disintegrated what he called Christian values.

[B]

That's NPR's Rob Schmitz with report. Rubio, meanwhile, traveled to Slovakia on Sunday. The Israeli cabinet has approved a new measure allowing the Israeli government to claim additional land in the occupied West Bank. NPR's Daniel Estrin has more from Tel Aviv.

[E]

The Israeli cabinet said the decision would allow the government to register large swaths of territory as state land. Critics of the decision said Palestinians would find it hard to prove land ownership under the Israeli criteria. This follows a series of other measures Israel took last week to strengthen Israel's grip over that territory that Palestinians want for a future state. President Trump opposes formal Israeli annexation, but has not stopped Israel from taking these steps as he focuses on Gaza. Trump says countries have pledged more than $5 billion for Gaza and thousands of personnel for peacekeeping forces there. Lethal Israeli strikes continued in Gaza today. Daniel Estrin, NPR News, Tel Aviv.

[B]

Norway's Johannes Hoesflot Klebo won his ninth gold medal Sunday at the Winter Olympics in Italy. He anchored the 4x 7.5 kilometer relay in cross country skiing. It was his fourth gold at this year's Olympics. His nine golds sets a Winter Games record. This is NPR News. From the box office numbers, it looks like the whole world celebrates Valentine's Day. NPR's Bob Mondello has her explanation.

[A]

Netflix offered to pay almost twice as much as the studio that got the rights to the new Wuthering Heights. But the filmmakers wanted their swoony romance to play in movie theaters over the Valentine's Day weekend, not just stream. Turns out they were right, with women making up 75% of the audience. Kiss me and let us both be damned. Wuthering Heights was both a date movie and an excuse for a girls night out. It will take in $40 million by Monday night and another 42 million overseas. Coming in second, a movie about teamwork and the love of basketball.

[B]

We're all different, but that's what makes.

[A]

Us strong and together we can do something great. The animated family comedy Goat will dribble its way to $34 million by the end of President's Day weekend. Bob Mondello, NPR News.

[B]

Colin Morikawa won this year's Pebble Beach Pro Am golf tournament on Sunday, finishing with the birdie putt on the 18th hole for a one stroke win. Sebstraka and Min Wu Lee finished one stroke off the pace in a tie for second. Scotty Scheffler ended the day with a 63 but had to settle for a tie at fourth. It was the 18th consecutive top 10 finish for the world's number one player. The annual Film Independent Spirit Awards were given out Sunday night. Clint Bentley won for best director and his Netflix film Train Dreams took the top prize. Netflix's Adolescence also swept the TV categories. The Perfect Neighbor, meanwhile, won for best documentary, while Roseburn won the lead acting prize for her role in if I Had Legs, I'd kick you. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.

[C]

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