NPR News: 02-18-2026 9PM EST

Summary

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NPR News Now: 02-18-2026 9PM EST — Detailed Summary

Episode Overview

This NPR News Now update, anchored by Rylan Barton, delivers top national and global stories in five minutes, focusing on diplomatic developments around Gaza, Congressional investigations into Les Wexner and Jeffrey Epstein, dramatic moments at the Winter Olympics, financial news, Hollywood's battle against AI-generated content, and the Pope’s remarks on Ash Wednesday.

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Key News Stories & Insights

1. White House "Board of Peace" for Gaza

Time: 00:17–01:14

• Main Point: The White House is convening representatives from over 40 nations for President Trump’s so-called “Board of Peace,” aiming to organize funding and troops for stabilizing Gaza.
• US Ambassador Mike Waltz emphasizes action and humanitarian needs:
  • Quote [00:49]: “The Board of Peace, colleagues, is a board of action and we will build upon this progress already made by addressing Gaza’s early recovery and its humanitarian needs.” — Mike Waltz
• Over $5 billion in commitments are expected.
• 27 nations have formally joined, but only Indonesia has pledged troops so far.
• Dismisses criticism regarding the board’s composition as complaints from the "chattering classes."

2. Les Wexner Deposed on Jeffrey Epstein Ties

Time: 01:14–02:10

• Main Point: Congressional Democrats question billionaire Les Wexner in Ohio regarding his association with Jeffrey Epstein.
• Wexner’s statement: Claims naivety and being fooled by Epstein; denies wrongdoing.
• Allegations: Epstein allegedly used access to Wexner’s companies, including Victoria’s Secret, for sex trafficking.
• House Oversight Ranking Member Robert Garcia is skeptical:
  • Quote [01:54]: “I do not believe when Mr. Wexner says that he did not have a personal relationship or a friendly relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, I think that is bogus.” — Robert Garcia
• No Republican legislators participated, only staff attended.

3. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Drama

Time: 02:10–03:07

• Main Point: Both the US and Canadian men’s ice hockey teams narrowly escaped elimination in Olympic quarterfinals, winning in overtime.
• US vs. Sweden:
  • US nearly won in regulation, but Sweden tied with 91 seconds left.
  • Quinn Hughes scored overtime winner for the US.
• Canada vs. Czechia:
  • Canada made a late regulation comeback and won in overtime.
• Both teams advance to semifinals, keeping the gold medal match dream alive.
• Notable Moment:
  • “The dream gold medal match of the US vs Canada was on the brink twice on Wednesday—in the end, both the Americans and Canadians survived, but each had to do it in overtime.” — Steve Futterman [02:21]

4. U.S. Financial Markets Update

Time: 03:07–03:14

• The S&P 500 rose by more than 0.5%, and the Dow increased by 0.25%.

5. Skiing Safety Debates after Lindsey Vonn Crash

Time: 03:14–03:48

• U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn’s recent Olympic crash has reignited calls to improve ski-binding mechanisms.
• Industry leaders are developing new “smart binding” systems with algorithms that detect loss of control, akin to airbags in ski suits.

6. Hollywood Pushes Back Against AI Video Tool

Time: 03:48–04:37

• Netflix, Disney, and the Motion Picture Association are threatening legal action against ByteDance (the Chinese tech company) over its new AI video creation tool, Sea Dance 2.0.
• The tool can generate hyper-realistic versions of popular TV and film characters; a recent viral video showed a fight scene with AI-generated likenesses of Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt.
• Netflix sent a cease and desist letter; concerns center on copyright and the use of protected images.
• ByteDance Statement: Says it respects intellectual property and is improving safeguards, but specifics are unclear.

7. Pope Leo’s Ash Wednesday Address

Time: 04:37–04:55

• Pope Leo begins the Lenten season by lamenting the erosion of international law and justice due to ongoing wars.
• He revives traditional Ash Wednesday practices that his predecessor, Pope Francis, could not perform in later years.
• Quote:
  • “…lamenting what he called the ashes of international law and justice that have been left by today’s wars and conflicts.” — Rylan Barton summarizing Pope Leo's address

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Mike Waltz [00:49]: “The Board of Peace, colleagues, is a board of action and we will build upon this progress already made by addressing Gaza's early recovery and its humanitarian needs.”
• Robert Garcia [01:54]: “I do not believe when Mr. Wexner says that he did not have a personal relationship or a friendly relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, I think that is bogus.”
• Steve Futterman [02:21]: “The dream gold medal match of the US vs Canada was on the brink twice on Wednesday … in the end, both the Americans and Canadians survived, but each had to do it in overtime.”
• Rylan Barton [04:37]: “Pope Leo opened the church's Lenten season, lamenting what he called the ashes of international law and justice that have been left by today's wars and conflicts.”

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Important Timestamps

• 00:17: White House “Board of Peace” on Gaza
• 01:14: Congressional questioning of Les Wexner about Jeffrey Epstein
• 02:10: Men’s Olympic ice hockey upsets
• 03:07: U.S. stock market closes higher
• 03:14: Olympic skiing bindings debate
• 03:48: Hollywood vs. ByteDance AI video tool
• 04:37: Pope Leo’s Ash Wednesday remarks

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This episode offers a rapid yet thorough sweep of the day’s most urgent developments, capturing both global diplomatic efforts and cultural controversies with NPR’s trademark conciseness and clarity.

Transcript

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[Rylan Barton]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Rylan Barton. The White House says representatives of over 40 nations will take part in a meeting tomorrow of what President Trump calls his Board of Peace. They're trying to raise money and troops for Gaza. As NPR's Michelle Keller a Security Council.

[Michelle Kellerman]

Meeting on the Middle East, US Ambassador Mike Waltz was again calling on countries to support the Board of Peace. He says it will announce over $5 billion. And he dismisses criticism about the makeup of the board from, as he puts it, the chattering classes.

[Mike Waltz]

The Board of Peace, colleagues, is a board of action and we will build upon this progress already made by addressing Gaza's early recovery and its humanitarian needs.

[Michelle Kellerman]

27 nations have formally joined. Only one country, Indonesia, has so far committed to sending troops to a stabilization force. Michelle Kellerman, NPR News, Washington.

[Rylan Barton]

Congressional Democrats traveled to Ohio today to depose billionaire Les Wexner about his connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Wexner denies wrongdoing, but the legislators say they aren't convinced that's true. George Shilcock with member station WSU reports.

[George Shilcock]

Wexner says in a statement he was naive and foolish to trust Epstein with his vast fortune. Wexner founded the Limited and later owned Victoria's Secret, through which Epstein allegedly used his access to sexually traffic young women. House oversight Ranking member Robert Garcia of California says the 88 year old is downplaying how close he was to Epstein, who Garcia says was enabled by Wexner's wealth.

[Robert Garcia]

I do not believe when Mr. Wexner says that he did not have a personal relationship or a friendly relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, I think that is bogus.

[George Shilcock]

Garcia says no Republicans on the committee showed up, only their staff. For NPR News, I'm George Shilcock in Columbus.

[Rylan Barton]

At the Winter Olympics, double drama in men's ice hockey as two favorites, the US And Canada were both forced into overtime in knockout quarterfinal games. Steve Futterman reports.

[Steve Futterman]

The dream gold medal match of the US vs Canada was on the brink twice on Wednesday in in the end, both the Americans and Canadians survived, but each had to do it in overtime. In the US Sweden game, the Americans were 91 seconds away from victory when Sweden tied the game one to one. In the overtime, Quinn Hughes, who plays for the Minnesota Wild, was able to get the winning goal to keep the Americans alive. The Canada Czechia game was even more dramatic. The Czechs took a 3 to 2 lead with less than eight minutes left in regulation. Canada, minutes away from elimination with was able to tie the game and then, like the US Win in overtime, the two teams now advance to Friday's semifinals. For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman in Milan.

[Rylan Barton]

The US stock market ticked higher today. The S&P 500 rose more than half a percent. The Dow added a quarter of a %. This is NPR. U.S. skier Lindsey Vonn's crash at the Olympics has renewed pressure to rethink the mechanism that attaches boots to skis. Ski and snowboard leaders say a smart binding system is in early development. Experts say a new algorithm could sense loss of control and trigger a faster release like the airbag system now required in elite skiers suits. Hollywood is outraged over a new AI video tool. NPR's Chloe Veltman reports. Netflix, Disney and others are threatening to sue the maker of Seed Dance.

[Chloe Veltman]

2.0. Netflix is the latest media giant to push back against bytedance this week when it sent the Chinese company a cease and desist letter. Netflix accuses ByteDance of allowing its latest AI video creation tool, Sea Dance 2.0, to generate hyper realistic imitations of characters from such Netflix owned shows as Bridgerton and Squid Game. Industry stakeholders, including the Motion Picture association, have also joined the backlash. The uproar began last week after a video depicting a fight scene between two figures closely resembling Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt went viral. In an email to NPR, ByteDance said it respects intellectual property rights and is taking steps to strengthen current safeguards, but did not say how. Chloe Veltman, NPR.

[Rylan Barton]

News. During an Ash Wednesday address, Pope Leo opened the church's Lenten season, lamenting what he called the ashes of international law and justice that have been left by today's wars and conflicts. Leo revived the traditional prayer and procession that Pope Francis largely had to delegate to others in his final years. This is NPR News from.

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