NPR News Now – February 18, 2026, 7PM EST

Host: Ryland Barton | Duration: ~5 minutes

Episode Overview

This NPR News Now segment provides a concise roundup of significant national and international news—from Mark Zuckerberg's testimony on social media and youth, to U.S. Olympic successes, policy shifts in federal health agencies, a pop music chart battle, and a quirky legal ruling on "Boneless Wings."

Key News Highlights & Discussion Points

1. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg Testifies on Instagram’s Impact on Young Users

[00:15–01:12]

• Mark Zuckerberg took the stand in a landmark trial about whether social media companies purposefully design apps to be addictive for minors.
• A key moment: Zuckerberg was shown an internal document suggesting early engagement of preteens (“tweens”) to attract teen users:
  • Quote:
    • “If we want to big with teens, we have to bring them in as tweens...”
      — Company strategy document, recounted by Bobby Allen [00:41]
• Zuckerberg acknowledged awareness of the document but claimed he couldn’t recall the full context.
• He referenced Instagram's minimum age policy (13 years) and admitted challenges keeping preteens off the platform.
• The discussion highlighted a previous internal email where Zuckerberg said removing beauty filters would be “paternalistic.”
  • He emphasized seeking balance between user expression and responsible platform management.

2. Leadership Shakeup at NIH and CDC Ahead of U.S. Midterms

[01:12–02:07]

• The Trump administration is moving NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya into a dual role as acting CDC director until a permanent appointment is made.
• Jim O’Neill, prior acting CDC director, will be nominated to helm the National Science Foundation.
• The shuffling of federal science agency leadership is part of pre-midterm political strategies, especially with federal vaccine policies under scrutiny.
• Quote:
  • “The moves come as federal science agencies continue to be in turmoil since Trump returned to office.”
    — Rob Stein [01:55]

3. Olympic Gold for U.S. Alpine Skier Mikaela Shiffrin

[02:07–02:38]

• Mikaela Shiffrin wins gold in the Olympic slalom, ending a personal losing streak going back to 2018.
• Shiffrin delivered a poised and aggressive performance, resulting in a decisive victory.
• Emotional reflection post-victory, mentioning her late father:
  • Quote:
    • “I have a challenged relationship with racing, but when I get to do it like this today, then that was wonderful.”
      — Mikaela Shiffrin [02:29]
  • She “took a moment after her victory to be silent with him.”
• Shiffrin now holds more Olympic golds (three) than any other U.S. alpine skier.

4. Other U.S. Athletics at the Winter Olympics

[03:02]

• U.S. men’s hockey beats Sweden in overtime, progressing to the semifinals.
• Women’s hockey prepares to face Canada in the gold medal match.

5. Russian Athletes Reinstated Under National Flag at Paralympics

[03:10]

• For the first time in over a decade, Russian Paralympic athletes will compete under their own flag and hear their anthem if they win gold.
• This move comes amid ongoing controversy due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and appears to signal reintegration into the Olympic community ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Games.

6. J. Cole and Bad Bunny Dominate U.S. Pop Charts

[03:47–04:31]

• J. Cole secures his seventh No. 1 album with The Fall Off.
  • Quote:
    • “Fell off and fell on my face, but I knew I found a way.”
      — J. Cole, from “The Fall Off” [03:58]
• Bad Bunny’s Debut Mas Fotos claims No. 2 on the album chart, buoyed by his Super Bowl halftime show buzz.
• Bad Bunny has four songs in the top 10 of the singles chart, with “DTMF” at No. 1.

7. Legal Ruling: Boneless Wings Can Be Marketed as ‘Wings’

[04:31–04:56]

• A Chicago federal judge ruled that “boneless wings” at Buffalo Wild Wings are not unreasonably misleading.
• Judge John Tharp’s ruling included puns:
  • Quote:
    • “The case... has no meat on its bones.”
      — Judge John Tharp [04:31]
    • “The plaintiff did not drum up enough factual allegations. That just didn’t fly.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Quote | Speaker/Context | |-----------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------------| | 00:41 | “If we want to big with teens, we have to bring them in as tweens...” | Zuckerberg reflection | | 01:55 | “Federal science agencies continue to be in turmoil since Trump returned to office.” | Rob Stein, NPR | | 02:29 | “I have a challenged relationship with racing, but when I get to do it like this today, then that was wonderful.” | Mikaela Shiffrin, skier | | 03:58 | “Fell off and fell on my face, but I knew I found a way.” | J. Cole, rapper | | 04:31 | “The case... has no meat on its bones.” <br/> “The plaintiff did not drum up enough factual allegations.”| Judge John Tharp, ruling |

Segment Timestamps

• 00:15 Zuckerberg Testifies on Instagram and Youth
• 01:12 NIH and CDC Leadership Shuffle
• 02:07 Shiffrin’s Olympic Gold
• 03:02 U.S. Men’s & Women’s Hockey Updates
• 03:10 Russian Paralympic Flag Restoration
• 03:47 J. Cole vs. Bad Bunny: Pop Chart Battle
• 04:31 Boneless Wings Ruling

This summary covers core editorial content only; advertisements and non-content sections have been omitted for clarity.