NPR News Now – February 18, 2026, 3PM EST

Hosted by Lakshmi Singh

Overview

This episode covers the latest national and international news, focusing on recent tragedies, developing political stories, social issues, and shifting cultural trends. Noteworthy segments include the fatal avalanche in Lake Tahoe, President Trump's latest controversies and legal challenges, a surge in local police immigration enforcement, Meta's ongoing legal challenges, updates from the Ukraine-Russia conflict, a look at musical evolution in Olympic figure skating, and trends in US housing and rental markets.

Key News Segments and Insights

Lake Tahoe Avalanche: Rescue Operation Turns to Recovery

• [00:14]
  • Lakshmi Singh reports that the avalanche near Lake Tahoe, California, has moved from a rescue to a recovery operation.
  • Shannon Moon (Nevada County Sheriff) provides a grave update:

    "Eight of the additional nine additional skiers have been located deceased. We are still looking for one of the members at this time." (00:36)

  • The challenging snowy terrain is complicating efforts to locate the last missing skier.
  • Six people were rescued, having been sheltered with limited equipment; two could not walk due to injuries.

President Trump: Black History Month Reception Amid Controversy

• [00:48]
  • President Trump hosts a White House reception for Black History Month shortly after a controversial, now-deleted social media photo that depicted Barack and Michelle Obama in a racist manner.
  • Press Secretary Caroline Levitt defends Trump:

    "There is a lot this president has done for all Americans, regardless of race, and he has absolutely been falsely called and smeared as a racist, and I'm happy to provide you those receipts." (01:25)

  • The administration also faces a lawsuit from the Association of National Park Rangers for allegedly attempting to erase history at national parks.

Surge in Local Police-ICE Agreements

• [01:35]
  • Jacqueline Diaz reports on dramatic growth of agreements allowing local police to perform immigration enforcement in partnership with ICE.
  • In 2026, ICE has over 1,400 agreements, compared to 45 in 2019—a significant increase during Trump’s second term.
  • Key Insight: Critics argue this program increases the risk of racial profiling and civil rights violations, since local police receive minimal training in immigration law.

    "Critics of the program are warning that 287g powers heighten the risk of racial profiling and civil rights violations by local police who get little training in complex immigration law." (02:00)

Meta CEO Zuckerberg Called to Testify on Social Media Addiction

• [02:33]
  • Mark Zuckerberg is scheduled to take the stand in a California trial examining whether social media companies are liable for youth addiction to platforms like Instagram and Facebook.

Ukraine-Russia Peace Talks Stalled

• [02:43]
  • As the fourth anniversary of Russia's full-scale invasion approaches, peace talks in Geneva remain inconclusive.
  • Ukrainian President Zelenskyy accuses Russia of delaying tactics, while Ukraine’s Defense Minister Rustem Umarov describes the talks as “substantive.”

Olympic Figure Skating: Musical Diversity and Copyright Hurdles

• [03:27]
  • Chloe Veltman highlights the evolving musical selections in Olympic figure skating, with skaters now using vocal music and diverse genres.
  • US ice dancers Madison Chock and Evan Bates performed to a Lenny Kravitz medley.
  • Expert Commentary: Daphne Backman, IceDance.com editor, credits the move with attracting younger audiences and social media traction.
  • However, copyright issues plague the event—Russian skater Peter Gumennik had to switch his soundtrack at the last minute for lack of permissions.

    "On social media, there’s potential for viral. But at this Olympics, copyright problems have become a major headache." (03:27)

U.S. Rental Market Trends: Renter-Friendly Shifts

• [04:10]
  • Steven Bazaha reports that rental power is shifting in favor of tenants across most of the US—except coastal hotspots.
  • Median asking rent in the top 50 metros is just under $1,700, down 1.5% from the previous year.
  • The growing vacancy rate is attributed to a surge in new apartment construction, especially in the Sun Belt, but new builds are expected to slow because of over-supply.

    "But empty apartments across most of the country are pushing rents down." (04:17)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Sheriff Shannon Moon ([00:36]):

  "Eight of the additional nine additional skiers have been located deceased. We are still looking for one of the members at this time."

• Press Secretary Caroline Levitt ([01:25]):

  "He has absolutely been falsely called and smeared as a racist, and I’m happy to provide you those receipts."

• Chloe Veltman ([03:27]):

  "At this Olympics, copyright problems have become a major headache."

• Steven Bazaha ([04:17]):

  "But empty apartments across most of the country are pushing rents down."

Timestamps & Key Segments

• 00:14: Avalanche turns from rescue to recovery
• 00:48: Trump’s Black History Month event amid racist controversy
• 01:35: Surge in local police/ICE agreements
• 02:33: Zuckerberg slated to testify on social media addiction
• 02:43: Ukraine-Russia peace talks stagnate
• 03:27: Olympic figure skating’s musical evolution and copyright issues
• 04:10: Rental market trends and falling rents

This episode delivers concise updates on urgent news events, with informative commentary and context, making it ideal for listeners seeking a quick but thorough briefing on both national and international happenings.