NPR News: 02-22-2026 3AM EST

Summary

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NPR News Now: 02-22-2026 3AM EST

Host: Dale Willman
Date: February 22, 2026
Duration: 5 minutes

Episode Overview

This concise update covers critical global and U.S. news, spanning topics from heightened U.S. tariff tensions and their worldwide implications, the aftermath of a historic avalanche in California, controversial comments by the U.S. Ambassador to Israel, a pending blizzard in the Northeast, the passing of salsa legend Willie Colon, and a new Olympic record in men’s cross country skiing.

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Key Developments and Insights

1. U.S. Raises Global Tariffs After Supreme Court Ruling

Segment starts: [00:18]

• President Trump announced an increase of global tariffs from 10% to 15%, reacting to a Supreme Court decision that invalidated his previous tariff policy.
• European Response:
  • French President Emmanuel Macron urged caution and adaptability, saying, “Let’s not celebrate too soon...we’ll just have to adapt and look at the consequences and adapt.”
    (Eleanor Beardsley paraphrasing, [00:34])
  • German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, preparing to visit President Trump, welcomed the Supreme Court ruling, describing it as "reassuring" and proof of a functioning separation of powers:

    “The separation of powers in the United States still appears to function, and that is good news.”
    (Merz, via Eleanor Beardsley, [00:56])

• The European position ahead of direct talks is to remain unified and coordinated.

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2. California Avalanche: Victims Identified

Segment starts: [01:19]

• Nevada County Sheriff Shannon Moon confirmed all nine victims of the Donner Summit avalanche have been identified; all bodies recovered.
• Three guides and six clients perished on the final day of a three-day trip to Frog Lake huts; six other survivors were rescued later that day.

  “While we wish we could have saved them all, we are grateful that we can bring them home.”
  (Sheriff Shannon Moon, [01:39])

• The event marks the deadliest avalanche in California’s modern history.

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3. Controversial Comments by U.S. Ambassador to Israel

Segment starts: [02:13]

• Mike Huckabee, U.S. Ambassador to Israel, claimed Israel has a “right granted by the Bible” to annex parts of neighboring Middle Eastern countries during an interview with Tucker Carlson.

  “Israel is a land that God gave to a people that he chose.”
  (Huckabee, via Tucker Carlson Network, [02:34]) Regarding biblical borders: “It would be fine if they took it all.”
  (Huckabee, [02:53])

• Concern raised as these comments reference biblical borders stretching from the Nile to the Euphrates, encompassing parts of other countries.
• Huckabee’s background noted as a political appointee with no diplomatic experience.
• The statement follows earlier remarks by Israeli PM Netanyahu about a “greater Israel,” which alarmed neighboring states.

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4. Major Northeast Blizzard Incoming

Segment starts: [03:15]

• The Mid-Atlantic states are bracing for a severe winter storm:
  • Blizzard warnings in effect for New York City, New Jersey, Boston, and much of the East Coast.
  • National Weather Service predicts up to 2 feet of snow for major metro and coastal areas.

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5. Salsa Legend Willie Colon Dies at Age 75

Segment starts: [03:39]

• The pioneering trombonist, composer, and salsa innovator passed away, as confirmed by his family.
• Legacy Highlights:
  • Joined the salsa movement at just 17; key collaborations include Rubén Blades, Celia Cruz, and Hector Lavoe.
  • His music captured and inspired Puerto Rican social movements in 1960s–70s New York.
  • Political engagement included a 1994 run for Congress and vocal support for Donald Trump in 2017.

  “His trombone, his songwriting and his production skills were part of many salsa classics...”
  (Felix Contreras, [03:59])

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6. Winter Olympics: Johannes Klaebo Makes History

Segment starts: [04:37]

• Norwegian cross-country skier Johannes Hølvatt Klaebo became the first athlete to win six gold medals in a single Winter Olympics, winning the 50 km mass start in Italy and breaking Eric Heiden’s decades-old record.

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Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• On U.S. Tariffs and Democracy:

  “The separation of powers in the United States still appears to function, and that is good news.”
  — Chancellor Friedrich Merz ([00:56])

• On Avalanche Recovery:

  “While we wish we could have saved them all, we are grateful that we can bring them home.”
  — Sheriff Shannon Moon ([01:39])

• On Israel’s Borders:

  “Israel is a land that God gave to a people that he chose…It would be fine if they took it all.”
  — Mike Huckabee ([02:34], [02:53])

• On Willie Colon’s Enduring Impact:

  “His trombone, his songwriting and his production skills were part of many salsa classics…”
  — Felix Contreras ([03:59])

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Tariffs and Supreme Court Ruling: [00:18]–[01:19]
• California Avalanche Victims Identified: [01:19]–[02:13]
• U.S. Ambassador’s Comments on Israel: [02:13]–[03:15]
• Northeast Blizzard Warnings: [03:15]–[03:39]
• Death of Willie Colon: [03:39]–[04:37]
• Winter Olympics History: [04:37]–[04:58]

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This episode presents fast-moving developments with broad political, social, and cultural impact—characteristic of NPR’s brisk, factual, and globally-attuned news style.

Transcript

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[Dale Willman]

Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Wilman. President Trump said Saturday that he's raising the global tariffs he's implemented on Friday from 10% to 15%. It's a response to a Supreme Court ruling that invalidated Trump's previous Tarif scheme. Imperial Eleanor Beardsley has reaction from Europe.

[Eleanor Beardsley / Greg Mechek]

President Emmanuel Macron opened a big agriculture show in Paris and he said let's not celebrate too soon. And he said we'll just have to adapt and look, you know, look at the consequences and adapt. The German chancellor, Friedrich Merz, also spoke today. He's going to Washington in early March to meet with President Trump. Here he is talking to public broadcaster ard. He said he would meet President Trump with a unified, coordinated European position. And he described the Supreme Court's decision as showing that the Trump administration had been set limits on tariff policy. And he called that reassuring and that it showed, quote, the separation of powers in the United States still appears to function, and that is good news.

[Dale Willman]

NPR's Eleanor Beardsley. Officials in Northern California have identified all of the victims of Tuesday's avalanche near Donner Summit. It was the deadliest avalanche in California's modern history. Camp Radio's Greg Mechek reports.

[Nevada County Sheriff Shannon Moon / Greg Mechek]

Nevada County Sheriff Shannon Moon released the names at a press conference and confirmed all nine victims were recovered.

[Eleanor Beardsley / Greg Mechek]

While we wish we could have saved them all, we are grateful that we can bring them home.

[Nevada County Sheriff Shannon Moon / Greg Mechek]

The three Blackbird mountain guides who died were Andrew Alessandros of Verde, Nevada, Nicole Chu of South Lake Tahoe, and Michael Henry of Soda Springs. The six clients were Elizabeth Clabaugh of Boise, Idaho, Catherine Vitt of Greenbrae and Carey Atkin, Danielle Keatley, Kate Morse and Kathryn Sekar of Soda Springs. The group was in the final day of a three day trip to the Frog Lake huts when the avalanche struck on Tuesday morning. Six survivors were rescued that night. For NPR News, I'm Greg Mechek.

[Dale Willman]

And Rocklin, the US Ambassador to Israel says he believes that Israel has the right granted by the Bible to take over parts of other countries in the Middle East. NPR's Genareva has our details.

[Mike Huckabee / Tucker Carlson Narrator]

Mike Huckabee made the statements during an interview this week with talk show host Tucker Carlson released Friday on the Tucker Carlson Network.

[Nevada County Sheriff Shannon Moon / Greg Mechek]

Israel is a land that God gave

[Felix Contreras]

to a people that he chose.

[Mike Huckabee / Tucker Carlson Narrator]

During the interview, Carlson points out that the biblical reference refers to land from the Nile to Euphrates rivers, which would encompass entire countries or parts of them from Egypt to Saudi Arabia. Huckabee replies, it would be fine if

[Dale Willman]

they took it all.

[Mike Huckabee / Tucker Carlson Narrator]

Huckabee is a political appointee of President Trump with no previous experience as a diplomat. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last year raised alarm bells in Jordan and other countries by referring to his belief in a greater Israel, which would encompass Israel's neighbors. Jane Araf, NPR News, Aman and you're

[Dale Willman]

listening to NPR News. The Mid Atlantic US Is preparing for another wintry blast. Blizzard warnings have been issued for New York City, New Jersey and Boston, as well as communities all along the East Coast. The National Weather Service says as much as 2ft of snow is expected for New York City, Long island, southern Connecticut and some coastal areas of New Jersey and Delaware. Musician Willie Colon has died. His family announced the death of the 75 year old trombonist and songwriter on the musician's Facebook account. Colon was a pioneer of the development of salsa in the 1970s and was one of the most well known musicians of the genre. NPR's Felix Contreras has more.

[Felix Contreras]

At just 17 years old, Willy Colon was part of the earliest days of salsa. His trombone, his songwriting and his production skills were part of many salsa classics by vocalists like Ruben Blades, Celia Cruz and Hector Lavo. Born and raised in the Bronx with Puerto Rican roots, many of Colon's productions became the soundtrack to Puerto Rican social movements in New York in the 1960s and 70s. His later years focused as much on politics as music, running for Congress in 1994 and voicing his support for Donald Trump in 2017. Felix Contreras, NPR News.

[Dale Willman]

Johannes Hochvlatt Klebo is a part of Olympics history. After his perfect gold medal sweep in men's cross country skiing, the the Norwegian won the 50 kilometer mass start Saturday for his sixth gold medal at the Winter Games in Italy. He broke Eric Haydn's long standing record of five golds at one Winter Olympics. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.

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