NPR News: 02-18-2026 9AM EST - NPR News Now

Summary3 min read

NPR News Now – 9AM EST, February 18, 2026

Host: Korva Coleman
Episode Theme: Morning news headlines covering legal, international, business, sports, religious, and weather updates.

1. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg to Testify in Civil Trial

[00:00] Korva Coleman introduces the episode from NPR’s Washington bureau.
The CEO of Meta (parent company of Facebook and Instagram), Mark Zuckerberg, will testify in a highly anticipated civil trial in Los Angeles against social media platforms Instagram and YouTube.
- The accusation: creating products that addict young people.
- Companies claim protection under federal law.
[00:40] Bobby Allen Reports:
- Social media platforms invoke Section 230, a law offering a "legal shield" from accountability for user-generated content.
  - “It’s been described as an impenetrable fortress for Silicon Valley.” – Bobby Allen [00:43]
- Plaintiff lawyers are shifting tactics, now using product liability law:
  - The argument: platforms are like “defective products,” similar to faulty cars or toasters, and tech companies should be liable as manufacturers.

2. Alleged Chinese Nuclear Test Evidence

[01:09] The Pentagon has released new evidence of what it claims was a secret Chinese nuclear test from six years ago.
[01:23] Jeff Brumfield Reports:
- On June 22, 2020, seismic sensors in Kazakhstan detected a minor event initially thought to be an earthquake.
- US arms control official Christopher Yaw:
  - “It is quite consistent with what you would expect from a nuclear explosive test.” – Christopher Yaw [01:38]
- Not all agree:
  - Ben Dando, seismologist at NORSAR, says data are inconclusive.
    - “We can’t really confirm or deny whether a nuclear test took place at this point.” [01:55]
- Context: China is heavily expanding its nuclear arsenal; Pentagon believes the country could have nuclear warheads by 2030.

3. U.S. Renter Market Trends

[02:11] Renter conditions in the U.S. are improving, with increased bargaining power for tenants.
[02:29] Stephen Bisaha Reports:
- Some areas (Boston, NYC, San Jose) still heavily favor landlords, but “empty apartments across most of the country are pushing rents down.”
- Median asking rent in the 50 largest metros: just under $1,700, down 1.5% year-over-year.
- Vacancy rates up: 7.6% nationwide.
- Key cause: New apartment construction, especially in the Sun Belt, though building is expected to slow due to rising vacancies.

4. Sports Update: Olympic Gold for Mikaela Shiffrin

[03:09] Brief market update: Dow futures are higher in premarket trading.
[03:29] Steve Futterman Reports from Milan:
- American skier Mikaela Shiffrin ends her eight-year Olympic medal drought with a gold in women’s slalom.
  - Led after the first run by over 0.8 seconds, maintained lead in the second.
  - “When she saw her name on top, there was a huge smile on her face. She pumped her arm in the air.” – Steve Futterman [03:36]
- Shiffrin, 30, previously won an Olympic medal in 2018 and has been struggling since.

5. Religious Observances: Ramadan and Lent

[04:05] The month of Ramadan begins for Muslims, observed with prayer, fasting, and acts of charity; concludes March 18–19 with Eid al-Fitr.
Ash Wednesday marks the start of Lent for Christians, a period of reflection leading up to Easter.
Notable overlap: This year, Lent and Ramadan begin on the same day.

6. Deadly Weather in Colorado

[04:32] Powerful winds provoke deadly pileup on Colorado interstate near Pueblo.
- At least four fatalities; over 30 vehicles involved in a “brownout” due to blowing dirt and low visibility.

Noteworthy Quotes

"It’s been described as an impenetrable fortress for Silicon Valley."
— Bobby Allen on Section 230 [00:43]
“It is quite consistent with what you would expect from a nuclear explosive test.”
— Christopher Yaw, arms control official [01:38]
“We can’t really confirm or deny whether a nuclear test took place at this point.”
— Ben Dando, NORSAR seismologist [01:55]
“When she saw her name on top, there was a huge smile on her face. She pumped her arm in the air.”
— Steve Futterman describing Mikaela Shiffrin [03:36]

Timestamps of Key Segments

Meta Trial / Section 230: 00:00–01:09
Chinese Nuclear Test Allegation: 01:09–02:11
Rental Market Trends: 02:11–03:09
Olympic Sports Update: 03:09–04:05
Religious Observances & Weather: 04:05–04:55

Summary Tone:
Factual, clear, concise—mirroring NPR’s direct newscast style.
Utility:
This episode delivers key updates across technology law, international relations, economy, sports, religion, and severe weather, succinctly informing listeners of the morning’s top stories.

Loading summary

Transcript14 lines

[00:00]
A
This message comes from Warby Parker prescription eyewear that's expertly crafted and unexpectedly affordable. Glasses designed in house from premium materials starting at just $95, including prescription lenses. Stop by a Warby Parker store near you. Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. The CEO of big tech company Meta will testify today in a closely watched civil trial against the social media platforms Instagram and YouTube. CEO Mark Zuckerberg will take the stand in Los Angeles. The the companies are accused of creating products that addict young people. NPR's Bobby Allen reports. The companies say they're protected by a federal law.
[00:41]
B
Social media companies have used a legal shield known as section230 to avoid all sorts of legal consequences of what people post to their sites. It's been described as an impenetrable fortress for Silicon Valley. But in recent years, plaintiff's lawyers have gotten pretty creative and they are now suing tech companies under product liability law to say, you know what? These platforms are essentially defective products like a defective car or a defective toaster, and that Meta and Google, the equivalent of a manufacturer, should be held liable.
[01:10]
A
NPR's Bobby Allen reporting. The Pentagon is sharing fresh evidence for what it claims was a secret Chinese nuclear test. NPR's Jeff Brumfield has more on the alleged test that took place six years ago.
[01:23]
C
On June 22 of 2020, a remote seismic station in Kazakhstan detected a tiny earthquake, except the US Says it wasn't an earthquake at all. Christopher Yaw is an arms control official at State Department. He says the data look clear.
[01:38]
D
It is quite consistent with what you would expect from a nuclear explosive test.
[01:43]
C
Yaw shared the details during a talk at the Hudson Institute, a D.C. think tank. Not everyone agrees. Ben Dando is a seismologist with norsar, an independent monitoring group. He says the data are inconclusive.
[01:56]
A
We can't really confirm or deny whether a nuclear test took place at this point.
[02:00]
C
China is currently undergoing a massive expansion of its nuclear arsenal. The Pentagon believes it could have a nuclear warheads by 2030. Jeff Brumfiel, NPR News.
[02:11]
A
The U.S. is becoming more renter friendly. That's according to a report from realtor.com on January's rental market asking rents are down from a year ago and vacancy rates are up. NPR's Stephen Bisaha reports. More renters have bargaining power.
[02:29]
D
There are some exceptions where landlords have more power. Coastal cities like Boston, New York City and San Jose still have few vacancies. But empty apartments across most of the country are pushing rents down in the 50 largest metros the median asking rent in January was a bit under $1,700, down 1.5% from a year earlier. Overall vacancies were at 7.6% across those metros. A big reason for dropping rents and vacancies are new apartments being built, especially in the Sun Belt. But the national association of Realtors is expecting apartment construction to slow down this year in part because of those vacancies. Steven Besarja, NPR News.
[03:09]
A
On Wall street and premarket trading, Dow futures are higher. This is npr. American skier Mikayla Shifrin has won a gold medal today in the women's slalom. This is her first Olympic medal since 2018. She's also an eight time world champion. Steve Futterman has more from Milan.
[03:29]
E
Mikhaila Shifrin's eight year Olympic medal drought comes to an end in her best event, the women's slalom. Shiffrin led after the first run by more than 8/10 of a second. When she completed her second run, she remained on top. After she crossed the finish line, she looked to the video board. When she saw her name on top, there was a huge smile on her face. She pumped her arm in the air. Shiffrin last won an Olympic medal in 2018 in Pyeongchang in it had been a struggle since at the age of 30, it is possible this could be her final Olympic event. For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman in Milan.
[04:05]
A
This is the start of Ramadan for Muslims around the world. The holy month is observed with prayer, fasting and good works for others. The religious month concludes on March 18th and 19th with the Feast of Eid Al Fitr. This is the first day of Lent and it coincides with the start of Ramadan. The the Christian religious observance begins with Ash Wednesday today. Lent is a period of reflection observed in the weeks leading up to Easter. Powerful winds created deadly conditions yesterday in Colorado. Authorities say at least four motorists were killed in a pile up on an interstate south of the city of Pueblo. There was so much blowing dirt that drivers couldn't see. More than 30 vehicles were involved in what officials are calling a brownout. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News, in Washington.
[04:55]
D
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