Overview of NPR News: 02-09-2026 1AM EST
This episode delivers a roundup of national and international headlines, sports results and human-interest items. Major items include a federal court order for the FBI to release an affidavit about seized 2020 election material in Georgia, the Seattle Seahawks winning the Super Bowl, Thailand’s election outcome, Jimmy Lai’s sentencing in Hong Kong, immigration policy changes affecting Cuban migrants, U.S. Olympic sliding-team news, and golf results from the Phoenix Open.
Key stories (one-line)
- Federal judge orders the FBI to publish a redacted affidavit tied to its seizure of 2020 election material from Fulton County.
- Seattle Seahawks beat the New England Patriots 29–13 in the Super Bowl; kicker set a record with five field goals.
- Thailand’s Bhumjaithai party (led by Anutin Charnvirakul) won a decisive victory and is poised to form a coalition.
- Hong Kong media mogul Jimmy Lai sentenced to 20 years; Taiwan calls the sentence harsh.
- Nicaragua ends visa exemption for Cuban citizens, closing a migration route to the U.S.
- U.S. women seen as medal contenders in Olympic skeleton and bobsledding; Curt Tomasevich overseeing athletes.
- Chris Goddard won the Phoenix Open in a playoff over Hideki Matsuyama (as reported).
Story details
FBI affidavit order — Georgia 2020 ballots
- A federal judge ordered the FBI to publish a redacted copy of the affidavit used to justify the seizure of more than 650 boxes of election material from Fulton County elections offices on Jan. 28.
- The order required publication by Tuesday (relative to the broadcast). Fulton County, which contains Atlanta, has been central to conspiracy theories about the 2020 election.
- NPR notes there is no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 election.
Super Bowl — Seahawks vs. Patriots
- Final score: Seattle Seahawks 29, New England Patriots 13.
- Jason Myers made all five of his field-goal attempts, setting a Super Bowl record and accounting for over half of Seattle’s points.
- Fans celebrated in Santa Clara; one fan (Dustin Franz) praised the defense and overall team dominance.
- Halftime show: Bad Bunny performed; conservative critics objected to his selection, and Turning Point America staged a competing show featuring Kid Rock, which drew under 5 million live YouTube viewers.
Thailand general election
- The conservative Bhumjaithai party, led by Anutin Charnvirakul, exceeded expectations and won nearly 200 seats in the 500-seat parliament (preliminary results), positioning it to lead a coalition government.
- Analysts attribute the surge to nationalist sentiment following the recent border conflict with Cambodia.
- The main opposition (Pheu Thai / progressive parties) fell significantly from its 2023 performance.
Jimmy Lai sentencing — Hong Kong / Taiwan reaction
- Jimmy Lai, a 78-year-old pro-democracy media figure and critic of Beijing, received a 20-year prison sentence after a December conviction for conspiring to collude with foreign forces.
- Taiwan’s government condemned the sentence as harsh.
Nicaragua visa change for Cuban citizens
- Nicaragua ended a visa-exemption policy for Cuban nationals, now requiring visas for entry.
- The policy change disrupts a migration route many Cubans used en route to the U.S., and comes amid increased U.S. pressure on Latin American countries over migration and security.
Winter Olympics — skeleton and bobsled
- On-site training for skeleton began; U.S. women remain strong medal contenders in sliding sports (skeleton, monobob, two-woman bobsled).
- Curt Tomasevich (two-time bobsled medalist) is overseeing U.S. sliding athletes and highlighted the depth of the women’s program.
Phoenix Open — golf
- Chris Goddard (reported in the broadcast as “Chris Goddorup/Goddard”) shot a 7-under 64 on Sunday and won the Phoenix Open after a playoff birdie against Hideki Matsuyama. He had also won the season-opening Sony Open earlier.
Notable quotes / soundbites
- Fan reaction on Super Bowl victory: “This is the best… we came out here knowing that we were going to win this game and we freaking dominated.” — Dustin Franz (Seattle fan).
- Contextual reporting repeatedly: “There’s no evidence of widespread fraud in elections, including the 2020 race,” when discussing Fulton County.
Takeaways and what to watch next
- Watch for public release of the redacted FBI affidavit on Fulton County election material — may clarify the basis for the January seizure.
- Thailand’s political shift could bring changes in domestic and regional policy as the new coalition forms.
- The Jimmy Lai sentence is likely to continue raising tensions between Beijing and critics in Hong Kong and Taiwan.
- Nicaragua’s visa change may alter migration flows toward the U.S.; expect related diplomatic and migration-policy developments.
- U.S. sliding teams are positioned as medal contenders at the Winter Olympics — follow training and competition results.
Sponsor note: The broadcast opened with an ad for Mint Mobile (promotional pricing details).