NPR News: 02-17-2026 7AM EST

Summary

---

NPR News Now - February 17, 2026, 7AM EST

Host: Korva Coleman
Episode Theme:
A fast-paced roundup of overnight headlines including the passing of civil rights leader Reverend Jesse Jackson, international negotiations in Geneva, ongoing debates over artificial intelligence in newsrooms, a lawsuit over AI voice mimicry, the resignation of Hyatt Hotels' executive chair, and a federal ruling on a Philadelphia historical exhibit.

---

1. Passing of Reverend Jesse Jackson

[00:18 – 01:23, 04:37 – 04:57]

• Key Points:

  • Reverend Jesse Lewis Jackson, influential civil rights leader and activist, has died at the age of 84.
  • Jackson’s work began in the 1960s as an aide to Martin Luther King Jr., later founding the Rainbow PUSH Coalition.
  • He ran for U.S. president twice in the 1980s and delivered a memorable speech at the 1988 Democratic National Convention.
  • Jackson had international influence, mediating disputes globally and being seen as a “political Muhammad Ali” by some.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “America will get better and better. Keep hope alive. Keep hope alive.”
    — Jesse Jackson, 1988 DNC Speech [00:51]
  • “He was kind of a political Muhammad Ali to many people around the world.”
    — Clarence Lusane, Howard University Professor [01:06]
  • “While other civil rights activists died young martyrs, he was blessed to be a long distance runner.”
    — Jesse Jackson, reflecting in a 2016 NPR interview [01:12]

• Memorable Moment:

  • The recap at the episode’s end, underscoring Jackson’s legacy as “a civil rights leader, a social activist and twice a presidential candidate.” [04:37 – 04:57]

---

2. Diplomatic Negotiations in Geneva

[01:23 – 02:09]

• Key Points:
  • Two sets of high-profile talks occur in Geneva:
    • U.S.-Iran Negotiations: Indirect talks over Iran’s nuclear program, with potential for Iranian concessions; U.S. also pushing on ballistic missiles and regional militant support.
    • Ukraine-Russia Talks: U.S. envoys join ongoing Ukraine-Russia negotiations, with President Trump pressuring Ukraine for concessions.

---

3. Artificial Intelligence Debates in American Newsrooms

[02:09 – 02:51]

• Reporter: David Folkenflick

• Key Points:

  • Adoption and controversy around AI in journalism are growing.
  • The Baltimore Sun: An AI-generated analysis misidentified President Trump as “former president.” The News Guild denounced it as “slop.”
  • The Sun’s publisher/editor affirmed the need for careful review but said, “To ignore this powerful tool would be a mistake.”
  • The Plain Dealer (Cleveland): Editor expects job applicants to use AI to draft articles, allowing reporters to focus on newsgathering; all AI content is human-edited.
  • Ars Technica: Retracted an article for undisclosed AI use and fabricated quotations.

• Notable Quote:

  • “To ignore this powerful tool would be a mistake.”
    — Trif Alatsis, Publisher and Editor, The Baltimore Sun [02:23]

---

4. Lawsuit: AI Voice Mimicry

[02:51 – 03:09]

• Key Points:
  • Former NPR host David Green is suing Google, claiming its AI-generated podcast voice mimics him without permission.
  • Google claims the AI voice is based on a professional actor.

---

5. Tom Pritzker Retirement and Epstein Files

[03:09 – 03:23]

• Key Points:
  • Tom Pritzker, Hyatt Hotels executive chair, announces retirement.
  • His name surfaced in Justice Department files related to Jeffrey Epstein; Pritzker calls his association with Epstein “terrible judgment.”

---

6. Court Orders Restoration of Philadelphia Slavery Exhibit

[03:23 – 04:28]

• Reporter: Susan Phillips (WHYY)

• Key Points:

  • Federal Judge Cynthia Roof orders the Trump administration to restore the exhibit about enslaved people at President’s House site, Philadelphia.
  • Judge Roof’s decision references Orwell’s 1984, warning against erasing historical truth.
  • National Park Service removed the exhibit the previous month; the government may still appeal.
  • Local visitor Yolanda Parks reacts positively to the decision.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “The federal government does not have the power to disassemble historical truths.”
    — Judge Cynthia Roof, referencing 1984 [03:57]
  • “How will we know where we came from if the history doesn’t remain? You can’t change history just because right now you’re feeling some type of way. I’m glad that we’re putting it back up.”
    — Yolanda Parks, visitor [04:20]

---

7. Top Story Recap

[04:37 – 04:57]

• The episode concludes by repeating the news of Reverend Jesse Jackson’s passing and his significant impact as a national leader.

---

Key Timestamps

• Reverend Jesse Jackson's Death Announced: [00:18 – 01:23, 04:37 – 04:57]
• Diplomatic Talks in Geneva: [01:23 – 02:09]
• AI in Newsrooms: [02:09 – 02:51]
• David Green Sues Google: [02:51 – 03:09]
• Tom Pritzker Retirement & Epstein Files: [03:09 – 03:23]
• Court Ruling on Historical Exhibit: [03:23 – 04:28]

---

Tone:
Concise, sober, and focused on delivering news with clarity and directness—typical for NPR's news coverage.

Transcript

[Capital One/Lisa Advertiser]

This message comes from Capital One. With the Venture X card. Earn unlimited double miles, a $300 annual capital one travel credit and access to airport lounges. Capital One what's in your wallet? Terms apply. [e-mail] live from NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

In Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. The influential and at times controversial American leader Reverend Jesse Lewis Jackson has died. NPR's Cheryl Corley reports. Jackson built a national profile around civil rights and political activism.

[Cheryl Corley]

Jesse Jackson's career spanned decades. In the 1960s, he was active in the civil rights movement and was an aide to Martin Luther King Jr. Later, he founded his Rainbow PUSH Coalition. In the 1980s, Jackson ran for president twice. His soaring speech at the 1988 Democratic National Convention electrified the audience.

[Interviewee/Quote Speaker]

America will get better and better. Keep hope alive. Keep hope alive.

[Cheryl Corley]

Howard University Professor Clarence Lusane said Jackson also had a global footprint as he spotlighted and mediated disputes during his travels.

[Interviewee/Quote Speaker]

He was kind of a political Muhammad Ali to many people around the world.

[Cheryl Corley]

During an NPR interview in 2016, Jackson said while other civil rights activists died young martyrs, he he was blessed to be a long distance runner. Cheryl Corley, NPR News.

[Korva Coleman]

There are two sets of high profile talks today in Geneva, and the Trump administration is part of both. This morning, Trump envoys are holding indirect talks with Iranian diplomats over Iran's nuclear program. Iran has signaled it's willing to consider concessions, but President Trump also wants to focus on Iran's ballistic missiles and support for militant groups in the Middle East. Later today, US Envoys will join talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials in Geneva, Trump has been pressuring Ukraine to make concessions. The use of artificial intelligence is sparking fierce debate within American journalism. Several recent incidents have brought these debates into public view. NPR's David Folkenflick reports. Some news executives are eager to deploy AI.

[David Folkenflick]

At the Baltimore sun, an AI program wrote up a lengthy analysis of an address by Maryland Governor Wes Moore. The piece was clearly marked as generated by AI. It also wrongly referred to President Trump as the former president. The News Guild called it slop. Publisher and editor Trif Alatsis says future editors must be more thoroughly reviewed, but that quote, to ignore this powerful tool would be a mistake. In Cleveland, the editor of the Plain Dealer writes that job applicants should expect I to draft articles from their original reporting. He says that frees up extra time for reporters at both papers. Humans edit the stories. Science and tech news site Ars Technica retracted a recent article that failed to disclose it relied on AI. The story included fabricated quotations.

[Korva Coleman]

David Folkenflick, NPR News Separately, former NPR host David Green is suing Google. It's for allegedly using an AI generated voice that sounds very much like his on its notebook LM AI tool. Google uses this platform to create podcasts. Google told Washington Post it based the AI voice on a professional actor. This is npr. The executive chair of Hyatt Hotels, Tom Pritzker, is retiring. His name has surfaced in the Justice Department's release of files on late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Pritzker says he exercised terrible judgment and there's no excuse for failing to distance himself sooner from Jeffrey Epstein. A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration must restore the exhibit on slavery at the president's House site in Philadelphia. It explains the lives nine people enslaved by President George Washington while he lived there. The National Park Service took the exhibit down last month. From member station WHYY, Susan Phillips has more.

[Susan Phillips]

In her ruling, US District Judge Cynthia Roof quotes extensively from George Orwell's novel 1984, a dystopian story about authoritarianism. Roof writes the federal government does not have the power to disassemble historical truths. At the exhibit Monday afternoon, visitor Yolanda Parks said she's happy about the decision.

[Interviewee/Quote Speaker]

How will we know where we came from if the history doesn't remain? You can't change history just because right now you're feeling some type of way. I'm glad that we're putting it back up.

[Susan Phillips]

The National Park Service did not return a request for comment. The federal government could appeal the decision. For NPR News, I'm Susan Phillips in.

[Korva Coleman]

Philadelphia repeating our top story. Reverend Jesse Jackson has died at the age of 84. According to his family and the organization he founded, the Rainbow Push Coalition, Jackson was a civil rights leader, a social activist and twice a presidential candidate. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News.

[Capital One/Lisa Advertiser]

This message comes from Lisa. Lisa has a lineup of beautifully crafted mattresses tailored to how you sleep. Each mattress is designed with specific sleep positions and field preferences in mind. From night one, you'll feel the difference. Premium materials that deliver serious comfort and full body support no matter how you sleep. Go to Lisa.com for 30% off mattresses, plus get an extra $50 off with promo code. NPR.