NPR News: 02-23-2026 2AM EST

Summary

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NPR News Now – February 23, 2026, 2AM EST

Host: Dale Willman (NPR)
Length: ~5 minutes
Episode Theme:
A concise roundup of key national and international news stories, covering a major winter storm, a security incident at Mar-a-Lago, U.S. tariff developments, voting deadlines in several states, U.S.-Iran nuclear talks, a Bay Area community celebration, and highlights from the British BAFTA film awards.

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Major Blizzard Strikes Northeast

[00:17–00:40]

• Millions across the Northeast U.S. are affected by severe travel bans and blizzard warnings.
• Heavy snow caused over 60,000 power outages in New Jersey, with the storm projected to continue into Monday morning.
• Dale Willman: “Millions of Americans are facing travel bans and blizzard warnings as a major storm moves through the Northeast and in New Jersey, there are reports of more than 60,000 power outages.” [00:20]

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Armed Intruder Shot at Mar-a-Lago

[00:40–01:09]

• An armed man breached the inner perimeter at President Trump’s Florida resort, Mar-a-Lago, before being shot by Secret Service agents and a sheriff’s deputy.
• Palm Beach County Sheriff Rick Bradshaw: “The armed man made it to the inner perimeter of Mar-A-Lago before being stopped by two Secret Service agents and a sheriff’s deputy.” [00:41]
• Law enforcement identified the intruder as a white male in his early 20s.
• The man complied in putting down a gas can but raised a shotgun, prompting law enforcement to open fire.
  • Unnamed Officer: “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.” [00:49]
• This marks at least the second breach involving an armed figure at the property.
• President Trump was safely at the White House during the incident.

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U.S. Tariffs and International Reaction

[01:09–02:16]

• The U.S. Supreme Court struck down tariffs initiated by President Trump, but he announced a new policy for 15% global tariffs over the weekend.
• European business owners, especially in industries reliant on U.S.-EU trade, express concern and frustration.
• Michael Shapps, wine grower (France and Virginia):
  • “It’s been crazy, the up and downs on both sides of the Atlantic.” [01:39]
  • “The doors were open. Now they're closed.” [02:01]
  • Shapps describes business losses and withdrawal from the U.S. market by European wine growers.
• Eleanor Beardsley (NPR, Paris): European officials are calling for strong responses, warning against being “taken hostage by the Trump administration and its tariffs.” [02:03]

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Voter Registration Deadlines Approaching

[02:16–03:13]

• Registration windows are closing soon for upcoming primary elections in several states.
  • North Carolina: Eligible voters can register in person at early voting sites until the end of the month.
  • Illinois: Online registration ends March 1; in-person remains available until March 17 (primary day).
  • Arkansas, Texas, Mississippi: Deadlines have passed, but general election registration remains open for the fall.
• Voters are encouraged to verify their registration, as names can be purged if inactive or due to life changes.
• Hansi Lo Wang (NPR):
  • “Already registered voters may want to check their registration status. Voters can sometimes be removed from lists, especially if they move, change their name or haven’t voted in a while.” [03:00]

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U.S. and Iran to Resume Nuclear Talks

[03:13–03:55]

• Scheduled negotiations are set to take place Thursday in Geneva, moving from previous rounds in Oman.
• The U.S. warns of the possibility of limited military strikes if talks fail, maintaining its stance that Iran cannot develop nuclear weapon capability.
• Dale Willman: “President Trump continues to warn that limited strikes against Iran are possible. If the talks fail. The U.S. says Iran cannot have nuclear weapons or the capacity to build them.” [03:38]

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Oakland’s Black Joy Parade: Community and Celebration

[03:55–04:33]

• The 9th annual Black Joy Parade draws diverse crowds to downtown Oakland, celebrating Black culture and resilience with music, dance, and community events.
• Elise Mnookian (KQED): “Dancers sashay and step motorcycles and classic car engines roar and black cowboys parade on horseback through the streets of downtown Oakland.” [03:55]
• Over 200 Black-owned businesses participated, selling food, crafts, and apparel.
• Ezekiel Rab, UC Berkeley student: “It’s just great to see everybody, you know, happy…” [04:05]
  • “…especially in times like this when there’s so much happening in the world.” [04:14]
• R&B singer Maya headlined the main stage, drawing special attention.

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BAFTA Film Awards Highlighted

[04:33–04:57]

• The action thriller One Battle After Another won six major BAFTA awards, including Best Picture.
• Sinners (vampire saga) and Frankenstein (gothic horror) each received three awards.
• Performance awards went to:
  • Jessie Buckley (Hamnet) – Best Actress
  • Robert Aramayo (I Swear) – Best Actor
• Dale Willman: “The politically charged action thriller One Battle After Another has won six prizes, including best picture at Britain’s BAFTA awards.” [04:33]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “The doors were open. Now they're closed.”
  • Michael Shapps, wine grower, on deteriorating U.S.-EU trade ([02:01])
• “It’s just great to see everybody, you know, happy.”
  • Ezekiel Rab, Black Joy Parade attendee ([04:05])
• “President Trump continues to warn that limited strikes against Iran are possible. If the talks fail.”
  • Dale Willman, on tense diplomatic climate ([03:38])

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Useful Segments by Timestamp

• Major Storm Coverage: 00:17–00:40
• Mar-a-Lago Intruder: 00:40–01:09
• Tariffs & Trade Fallout: 01:09–02:16
• Voter Registration Deadlines: 02:16–03:13
• U.S.–Iran Nuclear Talks: 03:13–03:55
• Black Joy Parade: 03:55–04:33
• BAFTA Awards: 04:33–04:57

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Transcript

[Amazon Business/Charles Schwab Announcer]

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[Dale Willman]

Live from NPR News, I'm Dale Willman. Millions of Americans are facing travel bans and blizzard warnings as a major storm moves through the Northeast and in New Jersey, there are reports of more than 60,000 power outages. The storm is expected to continue into Monday morning. The Secret Service says an armed man was shot and killed Sunday at President Trump's Florida resort. NPR's Luke Garrett has more.

[Palm Beach County Sheriff Rick Bradshaw]

Palm Beach County Sheriff Rick Bradshaw told reporters the armed man made it to the inner perimeter of Mar A Lago before being stopped by two Secret Service agents and a sheriff's deputy.

[Unnamed Law Enforcement Officer]

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.

[Palm Beach County Sheriff Rick Bradshaw]

Bradshaw said the man was then shot and killed. He described the man as a white male in his early 20s. This is at least the second time a gunman breached the Mar A Lago perimeter.

[Dale Willman]

While Trump often spends weekends at his resort, officials say he was at the White House when the breach occurred. Europeans were heartened to see President Trump's tariffs struck down by the U.S. supreme Court Friday. But as NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports, business owners say the chaos is far from over, as Trump announced this weekend another way to levy 15% global tariffs.

[Michael Shapps]

Michael Shapps is a wine grower in Burgundy, France, and Virginia, so he imports and exports both ways.

[Unnamed Wine Grower]

It's been crazy, the up and downs on both sides of the Atlantic.

[Michael Shapps]

Shapps says business thrived when there were no tariffs. Now he has to pay the higher costs himself or pass them on to his customers. He he says many wine growers are pulling out of the US Market, and tariffs are ruining business between the US And EU long each other's largest trading partners.

[Unnamed Wine Grower]

The doors were open. Now they're closed.

[Michael Shapps]

The whiplash of the last 48 hours has many European officials calling to fight back and not be, quote, taken hostage by the Trump administration and its tariffs. Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News, Paris.

[Dale Willman]

The window for registering to vote in this year's primary elections is closing soon in a couple of states. NPR's Hansi Lo Wang reports. These registration deadlines are coming as a handful of states prepare to hold primaries next month for this fall's midterm election.

[Hansi Lo Wang]

There are only days left to register to vote. In North Carolina's primary election. Eligible voters there can sign up in person at early voting sites through the end of the month. And in Illinois, eligible voters have until March 1st to register online. After that, Illinois voters can sign up at election offices through the last day of voting on March 17. A other places getting ready to hold statewide primary races next month include Arkansas, Texas and Mississippi. It's too late to register for those, but eligible voters still have months left to sign up to cast ballots in this fall's general election. Already registered voters may want to check their registration status. Voters can sometimes be removed from lists, especially if they move, change their name or haven't voted in a while. On Zila Wang, NPR News.

[Dale Willman]

And you're listening to NPR News. A new round of talks between the US And Iran are scheduled to take place Thursday in Geneva. Oman has previously hosted the indirect talks on Tehran's nuclear program. And while the US has not commented, Oman's foreign minister confirmed the talks. President Trump continues to warn that limited strikes against Iran are possible. If the talks fail. The US Says Iran cannot have nuclear weapons or the capacity to build them. People from across the Bay Area celebrated black culture and community this weekend at Oakland's 9th annual Black Joy Parade. Member station KQED's Elise Mnookian was there.

[Elise Mnookian]

Dancers sashay and step motorcycles and classic car engines roar and black cowboys parade on horseback through the streets of downtown Oakland.

[Ezekiel Rab]

It's just great to see everybody, you know happy.

[Elise Mnookian]

Ezekiel Rab is a UC Berkeley student from San Diego. He's attending his first Black Joy Parade,

[Ezekiel Rab]

especially in times like this when there's so much happening in the world.

[Elise Mnookian]

The event is organized by the Black Joy Parade nonprofit run by local volunteers. More than 200 black owned businesses sold food, clothing and handmade items, with R B singer Maya headlining the main stage. For NPR News, I'm Elise Manookian in Oakland.

[Dale Willman]

The politically charged action thriller One Battle After Another has won six prizes, including best picture at Britain's BAFTA awards. The vampire saga Sinners and gothic horror story Frankenstein each won three prizes. Jessie Buckley, meanwhile, won the best actress trophy for her role in Hamnet, while Robert Aramayo took the best actor award for the British indie film I Swear. I'm Dale Willman, NPR News.

[Amazon Business/Charles Schwab Announcer]

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