Overview of NPR News: 02-09-2026 5PM EST
A brief roundup of the day's top national and international news from NPR, including developments in the House Oversight Committee’s remote appearance by Ghislaine Maxwell, SpaceX’s tightened Starlink controls in Ukraine, a multi-faith lawsuit over the White House Religious Liberty Commission, markets and sports updates (Olympic speed skating records and MLB spring training), and the sentencing of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai.
Top headlines
- Ghislaine Maxwell invoked the Fifth Amendment during a closed-door, remote appearance before the House Oversight Committee.
- SpaceX is blocking unauthorized Starlink users in Ukraine through a whitelist system, which U.S. and Ukrainian officials say is hindering Russian drone operations.
- A coalition of multi-faith groups sued the Trump administration alleging the Religious Liberty Commission violates federal rules by excluding diverse viewpoints.
- Jimmy Lai, pro-democracy Hong Kong media tycoon, sentenced to 20 years under China’s national security law.
- Olympic speed skating saw multiple new Olympic records; Dutch skaters repeatedly topped times, and U.S. skater Brittany Bowe narrowly missed the podium.
- Major U.S. stock indexes rose (S&P 500 up nearly 0.5%).
- Major League Baseball spring training begins with automated ball-strike system (robot umpires) returning after testing.
Detailed story summaries
Ghislaine Maxwell — Congressional appearance
- Maxwell appeared by video link from prison before the House Oversight Committee and repeatedly declined to answer questions, invoking her Fifth Amendment right.
- Her attorney later said Maxwell would be willing to testify in exchange for clemency from President Trump and suggested she could address ties between Jeffrey Epstein and the Clintons while denying any wrongdoing by the Clintons.
- House Oversight Chair James Comer called her refusal disappointing but said the committee’s investigation into Epstein will continue.
- Reporting: Claudia Grisales, NPR News.
SpaceX and Starlink in Ukraine
- SpaceX is using a whitelist system that requires Starlink terminals in Ukraine to be registered; terminals that are not authorized are being cut off.
- Ukrainian responders and technicians report this has slowed or stopped Russians’ ability to use Starlink to extend drone operations on the front.
- Local vendors adapting Starlink hardware and medical personnel say cutting illicit access and maintaining strict sanctions are reducing battlefield capability and, reportedly, the number of wounded Ukrainian soldiers.
- Reporting: Eleanor Beardsley, NPR News (Ukraine/Kyiv).
Lawsuit over Religious Liberty Commission
- A group of multi-faith and secular organizations (including Interfaith Alliance, Muslims for Progressive Values, Hindus for Human Rights) sued in the Southern District of New York.
- Claim: the White House Religious Liberty Commission violates a law requiring advisory committees to include diverse viewpoints, allegedly excluding many non-Judeo religious and nonreligious perspectives (groups representing over a third of the U.S. population).
- White House response: the commission was created to protect Americans’ ability to exercise faith freely without government censorship or retaliation.
- Reporting: Jason DeRose, NPR News.
Jimmy Lai sentencing
- Jimmy Lai, 78-year-old pro-democracy media tycoon from Hong Kong, was sentenced to 20 years in prison under China’s national security law.
- His prosecution has intensified diplomatic tensions between Beijing and foreign governments. His daughter Claire said the sentence could make him a martyr if carried out.
Winter Olympics — speed skating records
- For the third consecutive night, Olympic records were broken in speed skating.
- Dutch skaters set and then immediately surpassed an Olympic record in the same session: Femke Kok (reported as Femke “Kalk” in the transcript) set a record, then teammate Jutta Leerdam lowered it minutes later.
- U.S. skater Brittany Bowe, a world-record holder, finished just off the podium in fourth by a fraction of a second; Japan’s Miho Takagi finished on the podium.
- Reporting: Ping Huang, NPR News (Milan).
Markets and MLB spring training
- Major U.S. stock indexes rose; the S&P 500 gained nearly 0.5%.
- MLB spring training begins as pitchers and catchers report. The automated ball-strike system (robot umpires) — which allows pitch-call challenges — returns after testing; teams won over half their challenges in last year’s tests.
Notable quotes
- Maxwell’s lawyer: Maxwell “would be willing to answer questions in exchange for clemency from President Trump” and asserted she could speak to connections involving Jeffrey Epstein while denying wrongdoing by the Clintons.
- Surgeon Oleksiy Mikuljuk (Ukraine): “Because war is money. We’re seeing it every day.” — used to explain why cutting illicit technology access and sanctions matter.
Key takeaways and implications
- Maxwell’s refusal to testify in Congress leaves many questions about Epstein-related networks unresolved for lawmakers; political bargaining (clemency-for-testimony) was publicly raised by her counsel.
- Technical controls on Starlink are having immediate tactical effects in Ukraine; managing dual-use technologies is becoming a frontline issue in modern conflicts.
- The Religious Liberty Commission lawsuit highlights ongoing legal scrutiny of how the federal government assembles advisory bodies and whether they reflect religious and nonreligious diversity.
- Sports and markets: Olympic competition continues to push records, and baseball is preparing for more tech-driven officiating changes this season.
Recommended follow-ups (if you want more depth)
- Watch for committee statements or legal filings from Maxwell’s appearance and any follow-up subpoenas or referrals.
- Monitor further reports from Ukraine on the operational impact of Starlink access restrictions and SpaceX policy statements.
- Track the Southern District of New York docket for developments in the Religious Liberty Commission lawsuit and the White House’s formal responses.
- For sports fans: follow the Olympic speed skating schedule for Brittany Bowe’s upcoming 500m event and MLB coverage for robot-umpire implementation details.