NPR News: 02-09-2026 7PM EST

Summary of NPR News: 02-09-2026 7PM EST

by NPR

5m•February 10, 2026
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Overview of NPR News: 02-09-2026 7PM EST

A fast-paced roundup of national and international headlines from NPR covering politics, public health, sports, tech, and human-interest items. Stories include a looming funding showdown over the Department of Homeland Security, a push from the administration to get Americans vaccinated against measles, Lindsey Vonn’s Olympic crash and injuries, UK political fallout over a diplomat’s Epstein ties, lawsuits targeting social media companies for harms to children, SpaceX’s stated lunar focus, and a light human-interest item about West Virginia Sen. Jim Justice’s prognosticating bulldog.

Key stories and takeaways

  • Department of Homeland Security funding standoff

    • Congress faces a Friday midnight deadline to fund DHS or face a partial government shutdown.
    • House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries criticized the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement, saying agents are targeting “American citizens, communities… and law-abiding immigrant families.”
    • Democrats and some Republicans are pushing policy changes (e.g., banning federal agents from wearing masks, requiring judicial warrants before arrests).

  • Measles vaccination message from the administration

    • CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz urged Americans to “take the vaccine” amid measles outbreaks, saying measles is a disease people should be vaccinated against.
    • Oz denied that the administration’s actions have undermined vaccine confidence and said Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been supportive—despite Kennedy’s long history of vaccine skepticism.

  • Lindsey Vonn injured in Olympic downhill

    • Team USA veteran Lindsey Vonn (41) crashed 13 seconds into the Olympic downhill in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy, suffering a complex tibia fracture that will require multiple surgeries.
    • Vonn, returning from retirement and recently tearing an ACL, said prior injuries did not cause the crash and expressed no regrets about competing.

  • UK political controversy over Peter Mandelson

    • British PM Keir Starmer faces scrutiny for appointing Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to the U.S. in 2024 after Mandelson’s ties to Jeffrey Epstein surfaced.
    • Mandelson was removed once the Epstein link became public; the release of millions of Epstein-related DOJ documents has intensified questions about Starmer’s judgment.

  • Lawsuits against major social media platforms

    • Opening statements began in Los Angeles for a trial alleging major platforms deliberately addict and harm children.
    • Meta (Instagram) and Google (YouTube) face claims; TikTok and Snap have recently settled similar suits for undisclosed sums.

  • SpaceX shifts emphasis to the Moon

    • Elon Musk announced on X that SpaceX’s focus is now a “self-growing city” on the Moon rather than Mars, saying a lunar city could be built faster.
    • The announcement comes amid competition with Blue Origin and in the context of NASA’s need for a lunar lander.

  • Human-interest: “Baby Dog” prediction

    • West Virginia Republican Sen. Jim Justice’s English Bulldog, Baby Dog, nearly predicted the Seahawks’ 29–13 win over the Patriots—off by one point.

Notable quotes

  • Hakeem Jeffries: “They lied to the American people. The Trump administration is not targeting violent felons. They’re targeting American citizens, communities throughout this country, and law-abiding immigrant families.”
  • Dr. Mehmet Oz: “Take the vaccine please. We have a solution for a problem.”
  • Lindsey Vonn (paraphrased from social post): The crash “wasn’t the ending she dreamed of,” but she has “no regrets” about competing.

Context and implications

  • DHS funding fight: Watch for late-breaking negotiations; a partial shutdown could disrupt many federal operations and immigration enforcement.
  • Measles outbreaks + administration messaging: Public health messaging matters—tension exists between pro-vaccine messaging from some officials and skepticism associated with others in the administration.
  • Vonn injury: Marks a significant setback for a high-profile comeback and will be notable in Olympic coverage and sports medicine reporting.
  • Social media suits: The LA trial could set legal and regulatory precedents around platform liability for child harms and addiction claims.
  • SpaceX lunar pivot: If pursued, a moon-focused strategy could shift commercial and NASA partnership dynamics and accelerate lunar infrastructure competition.

What to watch next

  • Progress (or failure) of DHS funding negotiations before the Friday midnight deadline.
  • Updates on measles outbreak containment and any changes in federal vaccine policy or messaging.
  • Medical updates on Lindsey Vonn’s surgeries and recovery timeline.
  • Developments from the social media trial in Los Angeles and any related settlements or rulings.
  • NASA procurement outcomes and SpaceX/Blue Origin competition over lunar landers.

Sponsors noted in the broadcast

  • Mint Mobile (advertisement for low-cost plans).
  • WISE (international money app).

Sources: NPR report summaries presented in the 7PM EST broadcast.