NPR News: 02-18-2026 7PM EST

Summary

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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."

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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.”

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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 |

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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

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

Transcript

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[Ryland Barton]

See Terms Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg told a jury today that the company has tried to keep preteens off Instagram, but it hasn't always worked. He was testifying at a landmark. Social media marks the first time tech companies have been brought to trial for claims that they deliberately design apps to addict young people. NPR's Bobby Allen has more on what Zuckerberg had to say.

[Bobby Allen]

He was shown an internal strategy document that said, quote, if we want to big with teens, we have to bring them in as tweens to this. Zuckerberg said yes, he recalled the document but didn't remember the context around it. He said, well, the minimum age to use Instagram is 13. They have struggled with keeping preteens off the app. He was also shown an email he wrote saying that getting rid of beauty field filters would be paternalistic. He says he was trying to find, you know, the right balance between limiting them and also allowing people to express themselves.

[Ryland Barton]

NPR's Bobby Allen reporting. The Trump administration wants the director of the National Institutes of Health to take on an additional job, acting director of the CDC. NPR's Rob Stein reports.

[Rob Stein]

An administration official who requested anonymity because he wasn't authorized to speak to the media has confirmed to NPR that NIH Director Jay Bhattacharya will also oversee the CDC until the president picks a permanent CDC director. And the most recent acting CDC director, Jim o', Neill, will be nominated to lead the National Science Foundation. The moves come as the administration has been shuffling top health officials in advance of the midterm elections, when hot button issues like federal vaccine policy could play a role. The moves come as federal science agencies continue to be in turmoil since Trump returned to office. Rob stein, NPR News.

[Ryland Barton]

U.S. alpine skier Mikayla Shifrin captured a gold medal today in the Winter Games. Her win in the slalom snapped an Olympic losing streak that stretched back to 2018. NPR's Brian Mann reports.

[Brian Mann]

This was Shifrin's last shot in these Olympic Games, and she was back at her very best, carving two clean, aggressive runs under a porcelain blue sky, claiming gold by a decisive margin.

[Mikayla Shifrin]

I have a challenged relationship with racing, but when I get to do it like this today, then that was wonderful.

[Brian Mann]

Shiffrin spoke at length about the sadness she felt not being able to share this moment with her father, who died in 2020. She said she took a moment after her victory to be silent with him. Shifrin now has three Olympic gold medals, the most of any US Alpine skier in history. She had already won more World cup races than any other Alpine skier in the world. Brian Mann, NPR News, Cortina d', Ampezzo, Italy.

[Ryland Barton]

The U.S. men's hockey team beat Sweden 21 in overtime and are heading to the semifinals. And the U.S. women's team faces off against Canada tomorrow in the gold medal game. This is NPR News from Washington. Russian athletes will compete under their own flag at the upcoming Paralympics for the first time in more than a decade, and the country's national Anthony will be played for any gold medalists. That's despite Russia's ongoing invasion of ukra. The announcement stands as another indicator that Russia and its national identity will be fully restored in Olympic circles well ahead of the 2028 Summer Games. In Los Angeles, rapper J. Cole and Puerto Rican pop star Bad Bunny are vying for the top of this Week's pop charts. NPR's Stephen Thompson reports.

[Stephen Thompson]

At the top of this week's Billboard albums chart at number one, the new album by rapper J. Cole, the Fall off, is his seventh record and his seventh to top the album's chart.

[J. Cole]

Fell off and fell on my face, but I knew I found a way.

[Stephen Thompson]

At number two, Bad Bunny, whose album Debit Mas Photos is doing colossal business in the aftermath of his super bowl halftime show. Bad Bunny's success really shows up on the Hot 100 singles chart, where he's got four songs in the top 10, led by DTMF. At number one, Ste. Thompson, NPR News.

[Ryland Barton]

A federal judge in Chicago has ruled that Boneless Wings at Buffalo Wild Wings can be marketed as wings. In his ruling, Judge John Tharp said that the case, quote, has no meat on its bones. Also, he wrote that the plaintiff did not drum up enough factual allegations. A Chicago man filed the lawsuit in 2023 arguing that Buffalo Wild Wings had engaged in false advertising, but that just didn't fly. This is NPR News.

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