NPR News: 02-23-2026 1AM EST

Summary

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NPR News Now – February 23, 2026, 1AM EST

Main Theme:
A fast-paced news roundup highlighting a severe blizzard in the Northeast, the Supreme Court’s reversal of Trump-era tariffs, upcoming US-Iran nuclear talks, a major land transfer in Alaska, and the US men’s hockey team’s Olympic gold.

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Major Stories & Discussion Points

1. Blizzard Warnings Across Northeast and Mid-Atlantic

[00:16–01:22]

• Scope of Storm: Tens of millions under blizzard warnings; forecast calls for up to two feet of snow in some areas, including Connecticut.
• Connecticut Braces: State of emergency declared. Officials warn this storm could be worse than the recent one that dropped nearly 20 inches of snow.
  • Governor Ned Lamont (Connecticut):

    “This is not our first snowstorm. We’re New England, but this is going to be a bad one, probably the worst storm we’ve seen since 2013.” ([00:44])

  • William Turner (State Emergency Management Director):

    “It is going to be a very dangerous storm. We’re looking at a multi hazard event. We’re not only talking heavy, wet snow, but also the potential for coastal flooding and very high winds. It’s been many years since the entire state was under a blizzard warning like we’re under now.” ([00:56])

• Precautions: Residents asked to stay off roads; commercial travel banned; warnings of power outages that could last days.
  • 60,000 power outages already reported in New Jersey ([01:22])

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2. Supreme Court Rejects Trump-Era Tariffs

[01:22–01:57]

• Summary: The Supreme Court invalidated about half of President Trump’s tariffs from 2025. American businesses are demanding refunds, arguing at least $100 billion is owed.
  • Alina Selyuk (NPR):

    “What we know for now is that the Supreme Court says about half of President Trump’s tariffs from last year were unlawfully collected. So whoever paid those tariffs is owed their money back. We’re talking altogether more than $100 billion in tariffs, and how that money gets returned is unclear.” ([01:39])

• Aftermath: President Trump imposed a temporary 15% global tariff on most products using other executive authority.

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3. Upcoming US–Iran Nuclear Talks in Geneva

[01:57–03:12]

• Context: Talks aimed at preventing a regional war; set for Thursday in Geneva.
• Details:
  • Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Sarkji and US Envoy Steve Witkoff to meet.
  • Oman confirms its role as facilitator.
  • Sarkji expresses optimism:

    “There was a good chance for a diplomatic solution on the issue.” (from CBS interview, paraphrased) ([02:20])

• Military Backdrop:
  • US has the largest Middle East military presence in decades, threatening to strike if talks fail.
  • The US demands Iran halt uranium enrichment; Iran claims its program is peaceful.
  • International nuclear watchdog states there’s no evidence of bomb-making.
  • Dana Raf (NPR):

    “Iran says the program is for peaceful purposes, while the international nuclear watchdog says it has not seen evidence that Iran is building a bomb.” ([03:00])

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4. Alaska Land Transfer and Local Concerns

[03:12–04:16]

• Change Announced: Department of the Interior will transfer over 2 million acres of public land to Alaska.
• State/Federal Viewpoint: Path cleared for energy and mineral development after 50+ years of federal control.
• Local Concerns: Environmental impacts, loss of subsistence rights for residents, especially affecting small and marginalized communities.
  • John Gaedeke (local activist):

    “From a federal standpoint, it changes how people can get food on the table, and that is not going to be good for small, marginalized communities.” ([04:01])

• Looking Ahead: Interior to formalize order in Federal Register this week.

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5. US Men’s Hockey Wins Gold; Box Office Report

[04:16–04:55]

• Olympic Hockey: USA beats Canada 2–1 for gold (first win since 1980).
• Box Office:
  • Goat leads for second weekend with $17 million.
  • Wuthering Heights second with $14.2 million.
  • I Can Only Imagine 2 debuts with $8 million.

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Notable Quotes

• Ned Lamont (Governor, CT):

  “...probably the worst storm we’ve seen since 2013.” ([00:44])

• William Turner (State Emergency Director):

  “We’re looking at a multi hazard event... very high winds.” ([00:56])

• Alina Selyuk (NPR):

  “...about half of President Trump’s tariffs... unlawfully collected...” ([01:39])

• Dana Raf (NPR):

  “...no evidence that Iran is building a bomb.” ([03:00])

• John Gaedeke (Alaska local activist):

  “...it changes how people can get food on the table, and that is not going to be good...” ([04:01])

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Key Segment Timestamps

• Blizzard and Weather Warnings: [00:16–01:22]
• Supreme Court/Trump Tariffs: [01:22–01:57]
• US–Iran Nuclear Talks Preview: [01:57–03:12]
• Alaska Land Decision: [03:12–04:16]
• Olympic Hockey and Box Office: [04:16–04:55]

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For the most up-to-date coverage, tune in at the top of each hour.

Transcript

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[Dale Willman]

Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. Tens of millions of people remain under blizzard warnings tonight as snow falls across the northeastern US And Mid Atlantic. Forecasters say some areas can expect as much as two feet of snow. That includes parts of Connecticut, where the governor is declared a state of emergency. Chris Polanski of Connecticut Public Radio Pazar reports.

[Chris Polanski]

Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont says this snowstorm will be worse than one last month that dumped nearly 20 inches on parts of the state.

[Ned Lamont]

This is not our first snowstorm. We're New England, but this is going to be a bad one, probably the worst storm we've seen since 2013.

[Chris Polanski]

State Emergency Management Director William Turner agrees

[William Turner]

it is going to be a very dangerous storm. We're looking at a multi hazard event. We're not only talking heavy, wet snow, but also the potential for coastal flooding and very high winds. It's been many years since the entire state was under a blizzard warning like we're under now.

[Chris Polanski]

State officials are asking residents to stay off the roads. Commercial travel has been banned. They also say to prepare for widespread power outages that could last for days. For NPR News, I'm Chris Polanski in Hartford, Connecticut.

[Dale Willman]

New Jersey is reporting 60,000 power outages at this point. Now that the Supreme Court has invalidated President Trump's tariff program, many American businesses say they want their money back. The federal government has collected more than $200 billion in tariffs, and businesses say at least half of that is theirs.

[Alina Selyuk]

What we know for now is that the Supreme Court says about half of President Trump's tariffs from last year were unlawfully collected. So whoever paid those tariffs is owed their money back. We're talking altogether more than $100 billion in tariffs, and how that money gets returned is unclear.

[Dale Willman]

That's NPR's Alina Selyuk. Trump, meanwhile, quickly used other authority to place a temporary 15% global tariff on most products. The US and Iran plan to hold new talks in Geneva on Thursday. That's according to Iran's foreign minister. The goal of the meeting is to avoid what Iran says could be a regional war if the U.S. attacks. NPR's Dana Raf reports.

[Dana Raf]

Iran's foreign Minister Abbas Sarkji said he will probably meet with US Envoy Steve Witkoff on Thursday in Geneva. In the latest negotiations on Iran's nuclear program. Oman, which has facilitated the talks, confirmed the plan. Iraqji made the comments in a CBS interview in which he also said there was a good chance for a diplomatic solution on the issue. The US has built up its military presence in the Middle east to the highest level in decades to back threats of an attack on Iran if negotiations fail. The US Administration insists that Iran not enrich uranium. Iran says the program is for peaceful purposes, while the international nuclear watchdog says it has not seen evidence that Iran is building a bomb. Jane Araf, NPR News, Aman.

[Dale Willman]

And this is NPR News. The Department of the Interior announced Friday it's getting ready to offer more than 2 million acres of public land to the state of Alaska. State and federal officials are applauding the change. Shelby Herbert, from Alaska Public Media reports some residents say it invites exploitation.

[Shelby Herbert]

Public land orders have kept Alaska's Dalton Corridor under federal control for over 50 years. State and federal officials say doing away with them clears a path for energy and mineral production, but that's getting pushback from some Alaskans. Concerns range from environmental impacts to residents losing subsistence hunting rights. John Gaedeke is a local activist working to stop the Ambler Road mining infrastructure project on the subject lands from a

[Ned Lamont]

federal standpoint, it changes how people can get food on the table, and that is not going to be good for small, marginalized communities.

[Shelby Herbert]

The Department of the Interior says it will publish the order in the Federal Register this week. For NPR News, I'm Shelby Herbert in Fairbanks.

[Dale Willman]

The U.S. men's hockey team beat Canada 2 to 1 Sunday in the Olympic finals to take the gold medal. It was America's first hockey gold since the Miracle on Ice in 1980. It was a quiet weekend at the box office. The animated film Goat finished in the number one spot, taking in $17 million from ticket sales in North American theaters. It's the movie's second weekend, with total sales over that period reaching 58 million. It pushed Wuthering Heights into second with $14.2 million in sales. A new release, I Can Only Imagine 2, finished in third with $8 million in ticket sales. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.

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