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NPR News Now

NPR News: 02-12-2026 12AM EST

12 Feb 2026

Transcription

Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.

Chapter 1: What insights does Melinda French-Gates share about her past with Bill Gates?

0.031 - 8.385 Unknown

On NPR's Wildcard podcast, Melinda French-Gates on seeing her ex-husband Bill Gates' name in the latest Epstein files.

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8.765 - 18.421 Melinda French Gates

For me, it's personally hard whenever those details come up, right? Because it brings back memories of some very, very painful times in my marriage.

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18.721 - 24.03 Unknown

Watch or listen to that Wildcard conversation on the NPR app or on YouTube at NPR Wildcard.

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25.057 - 43.487 Giles Snyder

Live from NPR News, I'm Giles Snyder. A heated hearing on Capitol Hill. Attorney General Pam Bondi clashed Wednesday with Democrats on the House Judiciary Committee, who pressed her on several issues, including the Justice Department's handling of the Epstein files. Here's NPR's Ryan Lucas.

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43.467 - 57.552 Ryan Lucas

This has been a political weakness for the Trump administration. And so Democrats certainly were eager to focus on it today. Several times Democrats, in fact, noted that there was a group of women in the hearing room who were victims of Epstein at one point, several points, actually. They were even asked to stand up.

57.973 - 77.997 Ryan Lucas

But Democrats criticized the department for failing to produce all of the files by the deadline required by law. They also criticized the numerous problems that have been found with the redactions that the Justice Department made to the files. That includes redacting the names of Epstein's suspected co-conspirators, and in some instances, not redacting the names or photos of victims.

78.28 - 101.352 Giles Snyder

Bambondi appeared before the Judiciary Committee with several Epstein victims seated behind her. Now to Energy Secretary Chris Wright's visit to Venezuela. He says Venezuela is making progress toward opening its economy to major oil producers and international business. NPR's Kerry Kahn reports on Wright's three-day visit following the U.S. military's ouster of President Nicolas Maduro.

101.332 - 116.97 Kerry Kahn

Secretary Wright was upbeat about recent Venezuelan oil sales, the loosening of U.S. sanctions, and legislative changes opening Venezuela's oil industry to private investment. He says the U.S. and the Venezuelan people's goals are the same.

117.491 - 130.326 Chris Wright

We want to see a flood of investment coming in, more income being generated for the people of Venezuela, more improvement in the quality of lives, and more oil going on to world oil markets to help the planet, to help the world.

Chapter 2: What were the main points of contention during the Capitol Hill hearing?

130.407 - 147.206 Kerry Kahn

Wright was greeted at the Mirror of Florida's presidential palace by interim president Delce Rodriguez. He said he will visit oil fields and meet with oil executives, but said so far there have been no discussions about setting a timetable for Democratic elections. Carrie Kahn, NPR News.

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147.266 - 158.119 Giles Snyder

The chief executive of Instagram says the app is not clinically addictive. NPR's Bobby Allen reports on the landmark social media trial against Meta and YouTube.

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158.285 - 178.011 Adam Musseri

Instagram CEO Adam Musseri took the witness stand to fight allegations that Meta deliberately designs apps to hook young people. This marquee trial could shape the outcome of thousands of pending cases against social media platforms. Bereaved parents like Juliana Arnold of New York packed the courtroom. Arnold's 17-year-old daughter Coco was killed by a predator she met on Instagram.

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178.031 - 181.255 Adam Musseri

The app, she says, made her daughter's mental health issues worse.

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181.319 - 196.116 Unknown

No one would even make the connection at all with social media. It wasn't even discussed, right? It was always something else. She has clinical depression. She has anxiety. They label it and want to give medications for it, but they never wanted to figure out behaviorally what was going on.

196.336 - 203.103 Adam Musseri

Metta says the trial will demonstrate its longstanding commitment to supporting young people. Bobby Allen, NPR News, Los Angeles.

203.143 - 226.87 Giles Snyder

This is NPR. President Trump has made another move to boost the nation's coal industry. He's announced that the Energy Department will provide $175 million for upgrades to coal-fired plants in Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia, and West Virginia. He's also ordering the Pentagon to enter into purchase agreements to buy electricity from coal-fired plants.

227.411 - 239.558 Giles Snyder

The Seattle Seahawks celebrated their Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots with a parade through the city's downtown Wednesday. From member station KUOW in Seattle, Noel Gasker reports.

242.592 - 265.453 Unknown

A sea of blue and green-clad Seahawks fans basked in the glow of victory and a sunny Seattle morning as they celebrated the Hawks' second Super Bowl title in the team's history. Andres Munoz, a lifelong Seahawks fan, came to the parade with his wife, who grew up with Patriots-loving parents. Together, they're raising their daughter, Aya, as a Hawks fan.

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