NPR News Now: 02-22-2026 10AM EST

Host: Windsor Johnston
Date: February 22, 2026
Episode Theme:
A five-minute news summary spotlighting major national developments, including a security incident at Mar-a-Lago, a severe winter storm in the Northeast, the upcoming Nvidia earnings report, travel disruptions due to government shutdown, a landmark internet artifact entering a UK museum, and a serious ransomware attack affecting Mississippi healthcare.

Key Stories & Discussion Points

1. Mar-a-Lago Security Breach

[00:13–01:03]

• Summary:
  An armed man was shot and killed after entering a secure perimeter at President Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. The incident occurred overnight while Trump was at the White House.

• Details:

  • Palm Beach County Sheriff Rick Bradsh described the sequence:

    “They confronted a white male that was carrying a gas can and a shotgun. He was ordered to drop those two pieces of equipment that he had with him, at which time he put down the gas can, raised the shotgun to a shooting position. At that point in time, the deputy and the two Secret Service agents fired their weapons and and neutralized the threat.” (Rick Bradsh, 00:36)

  • Background on previous threats to President Trump, including a recent assassination attempt and another armed incident.

Notable Quote:

“He put down the gas can, raised the shotgun… the deputy and the two Secret Service agents fired their weapons and neutralized the threat.”
— Sheriff Rick Bradsh (00:36)

2. Northeast Winter Storm Preparedness

[01:03–02:01]

• Summary:
  A powerful nor’easter is impacting the Mid-Atlantic and New England, with blizzard warnings in effect and governors declaring states of emergency.

• Reporting by: Bruce Konviser, live from New Jersey

  • 17 of 21 NJ counties under blizzard warnings, with at least a foot of snow expected statewide.
  • Coastal flooding due to tidal surges predicted.
  • Strong winds (gusts up to 50 mph) may bring down power lines.
  • Multi-state emergency declarations (New Jersey, New York).

Notable Segment:

“The coastline is expected to be hardest hit. Forecasters warn tidal surges may cause coastal flooding.”
— Bruce Konviser (01:35)

3. Flight Cancellations Nationwide

[02:01–02:29]

• Summary:
  Due to the storm, over 3,000 flights have been canceled at US airports, with the number expected to increase as the nor’easter intensifies.

4. Anticipation Over Nvidia Earnings & Tech Bubble Concerns

[02:29–03:12]

• Summary:
  Wall Street is watching Nvidia’s upcoming earnings in the context of mounting speculation about an “AI bubble.”
  • Nvidia is the most valuable company globally; its chips drive AI expansion.
  • Investor nervousness over the scale and timing of AI investments by tech giants (Amazon, Google, etc.).
  • Additional earnings from Home Depot, TJ Maxx’s parent, with interest in consumer spending trends and reactions to recent Supreme Court tariff decisions.

Quote:

“Nvidia is now the most valuable company in the world … but it’s unclear how soon or how much those investments will pay off.”
— Maria Aspen (02:29)

5. Government Shutdown Disrupts Trusted Traveler Programs

[03:12–03:29]

• Summary:
  The Department of Homeland Security suspends TSA PreCheck and Global Entry due to a partial government shutdown entering its second week.
  • TSA and customs officers now focus on regular travelers.
  • Special/courtesy escorts are halted.

6. First YouTube Video Acquired by the Victoria and Albert Museum

[03:29–04:35]

• Summary:
  The V&A Museum in London acquired “Me at the Zoo,” the first YouTube video (April 23, 2005), as part of a digital collection on internet history.
  • Video features co-founder Jawed Karim at San Diego Zoo:

    “The cool thing about these guys is that they have really, really, really long.” (Jawed Karim, 03:58)

  • Additional acquisitions include early YouTube website code and advertisements.
  • Reconstruction of early YouTube elements involved YouTube and a design studio.

Notable Moment:

“‘Me at the Zoo’ is a 19 second long video shot in front of the elephant enclosure at San Diego Zoo. YouTube co-founder Jawed Karim speaks to the camera.”
— Chloe Veltman (03:49)

7. Ransomware Attack on Mississippi Healthcare

[04:35–04:56]

• Summary:
  University of Mississippi Medical has closed nearly three dozen clinics following a ransomware attack.
  • Disruptions include halted chemotherapy and elective surgeries.
  • Duration of the outage remains unclear.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Sheriff Rick Bradsh on Mar-a-Lago incident:

  “At that point in time, the deputy and the two Secret Service agents fired their weapons and neutralized the threat.” (00:36)

• Maria Aspen on AI investments:

  “Some investors are increasingly worried this is actually an AI bubble.” (02:29)

• Jawed Karim in “Me at the Zoo” video:

  “The cool thing about these guys is that they have really, really, really long.” (03:58)

Quick Reference: Timestamps by Story

• Mar-a-Lago Incident: 00:13–01:03
• Winter Storm (New Jersey): 01:03–02:01
• Flight Cancellations: 02:01–02:29
• Nvidia & Tech Earnings: 02:29–03:12
• Govt Shutdown/TSA Suspension: 03:12–03:29
• YouTube V&A Acquisition: 03:29–04:35
• Mississippi Ransomware Attack: 04:35–04:56

Tone and Delivery

• Calm, factual, and objective in classic NPR style.
• Focused on conveying essential news updates for both local and national audiences.

This brief yet comprehensive episode delivers the day's most urgent stories—breaking security news, severe weather, tech market anxieties, cultural milestones, and cyber threats to essential healthcare.