NPR News Now – February 19, 2026, 2AM EST

Host: Giles Snyder
Main Theme:
A concise update on top national and international news, including President Trump's activities in Georgia, international peace efforts, social media safety, a fatal avalanche in California, updates on the war in Ukraine, and major Olympic results.

Key News Segments & Insights

1. President Trump's Visit to Georgia and Election Claims

• [00:16-00:48]

  • President Trump is preparing to visit Georgia, a contentious battleground state central to his persistent, false claims that the 2020 election was stolen.

  • Trump repeated these claims at a White House event for Black History Month.

  • Notable Quote:

    • President Trump:

      “The good thing, when they cheated on the election, they made me wait four years. And because I waited four years, I get the 250th year. I get the Olympics, which I was the one that got it, and I get the World Cup.” [00:33]

  • He is scheduled to deliver remarks on the economy in Rome, Georgia, with his visit following a recent seizure of voting records and ballots by federal agents from Fulton County, a heavily Democratic area.

2. International: Board of Peace and Gaza Stabilization Force

• [01:00-01:15]
  • President Trump's "Board of Peace" is meeting for the first time in Washington, D.C., with representatives from over 40 nations. 27 countries have formally joined, but only Indonesia has committed to sending troops for a Gaza stabilization force.

3. Tech & Social Media: Mark Zuckerberg Testifies on Teen Instagram Use

• [01:18-02:15]
  • Mark Zuckerberg testified in a Los Angeles trial concerning teen social media addiction and Instagram’s minimum age policy enforcement.
  • Zuckerberg acknowledged challenges in keeping underage users off the platform, confirming it's common for youths to lie about their age to join Instagram.
  • Key Insight:
    • An internal Meta document revealed that 30% of 10- and 12-year-olds use Instagram.
  • Zuckerberg appeared uneasy at times, especially when questioned about past emails and memos, but also expressed self-awareness about his presentation style.
    • Notable Quote:
      • Mark Zuckerberg:

        “I think I’m actually well known to be very bad at this.” [01:49]

  • The trial connects to 1,600 other cases and is expected to last four more weeks.

4. Tragedy in California: Fatal Avalanche in Lake Tahoe

• [02:15-03:11]
  • Eight backcountry skiers confirmed dead and one still missing after an avalanche in Tahoe National Forest during a guided three-day tour.
  • 15 people were on the trip; six were rescued.
  • Sheriff Shannon Moon announced the operation has shifted from rescue to recovery due to severe weather conditions.
    • Notable Quote:
      • Sheriff Shannon Moon:

        “This incident remains ongoing. Our focus remains on recovering, but the snow and the unsure conditions are creating an issue to making sure that we can safely do that.” [02:51]

  • Approximately 50 responders are working amid hazardous, near-zero visibility and ongoing avalanche danger.

5. Russia–Ukraine War: Stalled Peace Talks

• [03:11-03:40]
  • No breakthrough in the latest U.S.-brokered talks regarding Russia’s invasion of Ukraine—third such round this year, following earlier meetings in Abu Dhabi.
  • Talks in Geneva described as “difficult” by both sides.
  • Ukrainian President Zelenskyy accused Russia of stalling while continuing military aggression.

6. Olympics Update: Mikaela Shiffrin’s Redemption & US Hockey

• [03:40-04:51]
  • Mikaela Shiffrin won gold in women’s slalom—her third Olympic gold, ending an eight-year medal drought.
    • Overcame prior disappointment from the Beijing Olympics (2018), where she failed to medal.
    • Notable Quotes:

      • Shiffrin:

        “These moments, we do build them up for sure. Like I said, the biggest task today was to simplify and focus on the skiing.” [04:14]

      • Steve Futterman (NPR Reporter):

        “At one point during her post race news conference, Shiffrin became emotional talking about her father who died in 2020. This was her first Olympic medal since his death.” [04:23]

  • U.S. men’s ice hockey advanced to Olympic semifinals after an overtime win against Sweden; they will play on Friday for a place in the final.
    • The US last medaled (silver) in 2020.

Notable Quotes (With Speaker & Timestamp)

• Donald Trump (on 2020 election and upcoming events):

  “The good thing, when they cheated on the election, they made me wait four years. And because I waited four years, I get the 250th year. I get the Olympics, which I was the one that got it, and I get the World Cup.” [00:33]

• Mark Zuckerberg (on public speaking):

  “I think I’m actually well known to be very bad at this.” [01:49]

• Sheriff Shannon Moon (on avalanche recovery):

  “This incident remains ongoing. Our focus remains on recovering, but the snow and the unsure conditions are creating an issue to making sure that we can safely do that.” [02:51]

• Mikaela Shiffrin (on winning gold):

  “These moments, we do build them up for sure. Like I said, the biggest task today was to simplify and focus on the skiing.” [04:14]

• Steve Futterman (NPR, on Shiffrin’s emotion):

  “At one point during her post race news conference, Shiffrin became emotional talking about her father who died in 2020. This was her first Olympic medal since his death.” [04:23]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:16 – President Trump’s Georgia visit and election claims
• 01:00 – Board of Peace international meeting
• 01:18 – Zuckerberg’s testimony on Instagram and teen addiction
• 02:15 – Fatal avalanche in Lake Tahoe
• 03:11 – No breakthrough on Russia–Ukraine peace talks
• 03:40 – Shiffrin’s Olympic gold and U.S. hockey update

Overall Tone

The episode delivers serious, fact-driven updates with brief but emotional highlights (notably Shiffrin’s Olympic triumph and the Tahoe avalanche tragedy). The reporting is rapid, impartial, and conveys urgency, especially regarding national politics, international conflict, and breaking news events.

Useful For:
Anyone needing a snapshot of current US and global news, including politics, major legal and tech developments, natural disasters, world affairs, and headline sports results in less than five minutes.