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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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])

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.

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])

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]

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