NPR News Now — 02-19-2026, 7AM EST

Host: Korva Coleman
Date: February 19, 2026
Duration: 5 minutes

Episode Overview

This concise NPR News Now update delivers top news headlines as of 7AM EST on February 19, 2026. Major stories include the arrest in the UK of former Prince Andrew, escalating US military deployments in the Middle East, a tragic avalanche near Lake Tahoe, significant diplomatic developments in Venezuela, and updates from the Winter Olympics in Milan.

Key News Segments & Insights

1. Former Prince Andrew Arrested in Britain

• [00:15] Korva Coleman announces that British police have arrested a man in his 60s—identified by media as former Prince Andrew—on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

  • Andrew previously lost his royal titles over his connections to Jeffrey Epstein.
  • New files from the US Justice Department suggest Andrew passed confidential documents to Epstein.

• [00:48] Lauren Frayer gives context:

  • Arrest believed to be triggered by the latest document batch.
  • King Charles has stated willingness to cooperate if approached by police.
  • Police have not confirmed or denied if they contacted the King.

  Notable Quote:
  “We believe this was triggered by that latest batch of documents, and now there's been an arrest in that investigation. It's also worth noting that the king recently issued a statement saying he would cooperate with police on this if asked about his brother.”
  — Lauren Frayer ([00:48])

2. US Military Buildup Near Iran & Gaza Peace Initiative

• [01:05] President Trump meets his Board of Peace in Washington, aiming to rebuild Gaza post-conflict, with officials from 36+ countries in attendance.

  • Reports indicate the US military is sending additional assets to the region.
  • Steps occur amid ongoing nuclear discussions with Iran.

• [01:30] Greg Myre reports:

  • Up to 50 more US fighter jets relocating near Iran, a second aircraft carrier en route.
  • Trump remains vague about his specific objectives regarding Iran—supporting nuclear negotiations but also regime change.
  • Iran threatens to retaliate if attacked.

  Notable Quote:
  “Trump is intentionally vague about what he wants to achieve. He says he favors a nuclear deal with Iran, which would necessitate more negotiations. Yet he's also voiced support for regime change in that country, which would likely require a major U.S. military operation.”
  — Greg Myre ([01:30])

3. Tragic Avalanche in Northern California

• [02:09] Eight skiers killed, one missing after an avalanche near Lake Tahoe.

  • Event occurred on a guided three-day tour; of 15 people, six were rescued.
  • Shift from rescue to recovery due to dangerous conditions.

• [02:23] Maria Palma provides details:

  • Avalanche happened Tuesday morning in the Tahoe National Forest.
  • Rescue complicated by poor weather, high avalanche risk, and near-zero visibility; 50 responders are on scene.

  Notable Quote:
  “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.”
  — Nevada County Sheriff (via Maria Palma) ([02:47])

4. US-Venezuela Diplomatic Developments

• [03:10] In Caracas, U.S. Marine Gen. Francis Donovan, commander of U.S. Southern Command, met with Venezuela’s acting president, Dulcie Rodriguez.
  • Meeting follows the U.S. transport of former Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife to New York last month for drug trafficking charges.

5. Winter Olympics: Ice Hockey Highlights

• [03:53] The women's gold medal ice hockey game—US vs. Canada.

  • This is the seventh matchup in the final between the two; the US is favored after a decisive win in the preliminary round.
  • Taylor Heise of Team USA says past scores don’t matter:
    “It's the gold medal game. Everyone's going to show up, and if they don't, they're not meant to be there.”
    — Taylor Heise, Team USA ([04:19])
  • Canada has won five previous golds, USA two.

• [04:35] U.S. Men’s Hockey Update

  • US beats Sweden 2–1 in overtime, advances to semifinals vs. Slovakia.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Prince Andrew’s Arrest:
  “We believe this was triggered by that latest batch of documents, and now there's been an arrest in that investigation. It's also worth noting that the king recently issued a statement saying he would cooperate with police on this if asked about his brother.” — Lauren Frayer ([00:48])

• On U.S. Strategy with Iran:
  “Trump is intentionally vague about what he wants to achieve. He says he favors a nuclear deal with Iran, which would necessitate more negotiations. Yet he's also voiced support for regime change in that country, which would likely require a major U.S. military operation.” — Greg Myre ([01:30])

• On the Avalanche Search:
  “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.” — Nevada County Sheriff (via Maria Palma) ([02:47])

• On the Women’s Hockey Gold Medal Rematch:
  “It's the gold medal game. Everyone's going to show up, and if they don't, they're not meant to be there. So I think when we focus on what we can do, we're so good.” — Taylor Heise, Team USA ([04:19])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Prince Andrew arrest report: [00:15] – [01:05]
• US Military & Gaza peace efforts: [01:05] – [02:09]
• Avalanche tragedy, Lake Tahoe: [02:09] – [03:10]
• US-Venezuela diplomatic talks: [03:10] – [03:53]
• Winter Olympics ice hockey (women): [03:53] – [04:35]
• Winter Olympics ice hockey (men): [04:35] – [04:55]

Summary prepared for listeners who want an informed snapshot of the day’s top news.