NPR News: 02-19-2026 7PM EST

Summary

NPR News Now – February 19, 2026, 7PM EST

Host: Windsor Johnston, NPR

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Episode Overview

This five-minute NPR News Now episode delivers concise updates on top stories including Prince Andrew’s release in connection to the Epstein investigation, President Trump’s economic remarks, a historic sewage spill emergency in Washington D.C., the U.S. women’s hockey gold at the Winter Olympics, groundbreaking research on ancient medicines, and major auto recalls.

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Key Segments & Highlights

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1. Prince Andrew Released After Epstein Investigation

[00:17 – 01:23]

• Lead Story: Former Prince Andrew released from jail, under investigation for sharing sensitive UK government information with Jeffrey Epstein.
• Background (Lauren Frayer): Andrew had been stripped of his royal title and evicted from Royal Lodge due to Epstein ties.
  • He had settled a lawsuit with one of Epstein’s underage victims but maintained innocence.
  • DOJ files showed Andrew, as UK trade envoy, allegedly shared government itineraries and investment plans with Epstein in the early 2000s.
  • British police suspect him of “misconduct in public office;” potential life sentence.
• Notable Quote:
  • Lauren Frayer (01:10):
    “Police say he's suspected of misconduct in public office, a crime that carries up to life in prison.”

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2. President Trump on the Economy and Tariffs

[01:23 – 02:05]

• Trump’s Statement (in Georgia): Says his administration’s tariffs and policies are “easing high prices” and boosting U.S. manufacturing.
  • Highlights a large steel order as evidence of economic improvement.
• Notable Quote:
  • Donald Trump (01:42):
    “Thanks to the fact that we got elected on November 5th and thanks to what I call the Trump tariffs, business at Coosa Steel is booming again... And in October, you received your first large order for Thai Iraq since 2014. It was a big, massive order.”
• Context: Aimed at countering public frustration over the cost of living ahead of the November election.

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3. Potomac River Sewage Spill Emergency

[02:05 – 03:08]

• Crisis: D.C. mayor declares emergency after a historic sewage spill.
  • Enables President Trump to direct federal funds for repairs.
  • Emergency impacts D.C., Maryland, and Virginia.
• Repair Costs & Status:
  • Lindsay Appiah, D.C. Deputy Mayor:
    • Cites uncertainty over repair costs due to ongoing work.
    • Notable Quote (02:41):
      “We would all love to believe that in any repair it only costs the amount we budgeted or say. But I think that we've all been around long enough to know that there are always unanticipated costs.”
  • One month since the pipe burst. Over 243 million gallons of sewage spilled; repairs weeks away.
• Update: Spill contained to a canal, but major infrastructure work remains.

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4. Business Update – Wall Street Close

[03:08 – 03:15]

• Market News: Dow closes down 267 points.

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5. U.S. Women’s Hockey Wins Olympic Gold

[03:15 – 03:31]

• Olympic News: The U.S. Women's Hockey Team beats Canada 2-1 in overtime for their third Olympic gold.
  • Megan Keller scored the winning goal.

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6. Ancient Medicine Findings: Feces in Roman Bottles

[03:31 – 04:29]

• Scientific Discovery: Researchers analyze residues in ancient Roman medicine bottles.
  • Rana Chelabi and team find one bottle containing human feces—used to treat infections historically.
  • Aromatic compounds may have masked the odor.
• Modern Parallel: Similar fecal treatments now used for difficult gastrointestinal infections (“resetting” the gut microbiome).
• Notable Quotes:
  • Lindsay Appiah (read by Ari Daniels at 03:57):
    “One of them ended up revealing something even more surprising and medically significant. It turned out to be feces, human feces.”
  • Ari Daniels (04:13):
    “The use of especially animal fecal matter was once considered a potent treatment for infections and inflammation.”

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7. Nissan Recalls Over Half a Million Vehicles

[04:29 – 04:57]

• Consumer Safety: Nissan recalls over 500,000 Rogue cars due to engine and transmission defects.
  • Risk: Sudden loss of power and increased crash potential.

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Memorable Moments

• Hard-hitting international update:
  The seriousness of the Prince Andrew allegations and the potential for a life sentence.
• Trump on tariffs and economic optimism:
  His direct attribution of revived manufacturing to his policies.
• Science surprise:
  The discovery of fecal matter as ancient medicine and its parallel to modern treatments.

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Episode Flow & Tone

• Concise, authoritative headlines with direct reporting.
• Matter-of-fact, but breaks for human interest—especially in scientific and sports segments.
• No commentary or extended analysis; information-dense and strictly news-driven.

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Timestamps for Quick Navigation

• Prince Andrew/Epstein Update - [00:17]
• Trump’s Economic Remarks - [01:23]
• Potomac River Sewage Spill - [02:05]
• Dow Close - [03:08]
• Olympic Gold – Women’s Hockey - [03:15]
• Ancient Medicine Discovery - [03:45]
• Nissan Recalls - [04:29]

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This summary excludes all sponsor/advertisement content and only covers core news segments.

Transcript

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[Windsor Johnston]

Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston. The former Prince Andrew has been released from jail after being arrested as part of it, part of an investigation tied to the Epstein files. Police are ex he shared sensitive government information with his late friend and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. NPR's Lauren Frere reports from London.

[Lauren Frayer]

Andrew had already been stripped of his royal title and evicted from his royal lodge on the grounds of Windsor Castle over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. He settled a lawsuit with one of the sex offenders, underage victims, and has long said he strenuously denies any wrongdoing. But after the release of the latest files by the US Department of Justice, British police began investigating Andrew. Correspondence with Epstein from the early 2000s, when Andrew was a UK trade envoy and allegedly forwarded his friend government itineraries and investment plans. Police say he's suspected of misconduct in public office, a crime that carries up to life in prison. Lauren Frayer, NPR News, London.

[Windsor Johnston]

President Trump says his policies are helping ease high prices as he works to persuade voters frustrated by the cost of living. Speaking at a steel distributor in Georgia tonight, Trump touted a rising stock market, his tariff policy on foreign goods and increase foreign investment in the US Economy.

[Donald Trump]

Thanks to the fact that we got elected on November 5th and thanks to what I call the Trump tariffs, business at Coosa Steel is booming again. We just spoke it's booming. And in October, you received your first large order for Thai Iraq since 2014. It was a big, massive order.

[Windsor Johnston]

The administration is working to counter public frustrations with the economy as Republicans look to strengthen their position heading into November. The mayor of Washington, D.C. has declared an emergency over the Potomac river sewage spill, the worst of its kind in the nation's history. Justin o' Neill from member station WAMU reports.

[Justin O'Neill]

The emergency declaration enables President Trump to direct federal funds to cover repair costs and needed improvements to water treatment infrastructure that serves residents of D.C. maryland and Virginia. Deputy Mayor Lindsay Appiah says it's uncertain how much the repairs will ultimately cost

[Lindsay Appiah]

because the repair is ongoing. And we would all love to believe that in any repair it only costs the amount we budgeted or say. But I think that we've all been around long enough to know that there are always unanticipated costs.

[Justin O'Neill]

Today marks one month since the pipe burst, spilling an estimated 243 million gallons of raw sewage into the Potomac River. DC Water says the spill has been contained to a nearby canal, but complete repair of the broken sewage pipe is still weeks away. For NPR News, I'm Justin o'.

[Windsor Johnston]

Neill. At the close on Wall street, the dow was down 267 points. This is NPR. The U.S. women's hockey team has won the gold at the Winter Olympics. Megan Keller scored the winning goal in overtime, beating Canada 2 to 1. This is the third Olympic gold for the US women's team. Some of the earliest writings contain instructions for making medicines. Physical proof of such recipes is rare. Science reporter Ari Daniels says research has found evidence for one recipe's surprising ingredients.

[Ari Daniels]

Rana Chelabi, a medical historian at Istanbul Metopol University, and her colleagues analyzed the residues of a set of ancient Roman bottles. Most didn't contain anything that interesting, but

[Lindsay Appiah]

one of them ended up revealing something even more surprising and medically significant. It turned out to be feces, human feces.

[Ari Daniels]

The use of especially animal fecal matter was once considered a potent treatment for infections and inflammation. The team also found aromatic compounds, perhaps to mask the odor. It's worth noting that some modern physicians are using feces for a hard to treat bacterial GI infection as a kind of reset of the gut microbiome. For NPR News, I'm Ari.

[Windsor Johnston]

Daniel Nissan is issuing two major recalls involving one of its most popular crossover SUVs. The company is recalling more than a half a million turbocharged rogue vehicles over engine and transmission defects that could cause a sudden loss of power. Federal regulators say the problems may also increase the risk of a crash. I'm Windsor Johnston, and you're listening to NPR News from Washington.

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