NPR News: 02-21-2026 10AM EST
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Windsor Johnston.
What impact does the Supreme Court's decision have on President Trump's tariffs?
The Supreme Court's decision to limit President Trump's ability to impose tariffs is reverberating in Latin America. NPR's Ada Peralta reports it may have effects in Mexico and Cuba.
President Trump declared a national emergency and cited drug trafficking as a reason to place 25% tariffs on Mexico. The Supreme Court said that was unconstitutional. But Mexican economists say the effect may be limited because Trump had also issued exemptions. About 80% of Mexican exports to the U.S. are not subject to any taxes. Where the Supreme Court decision might have a big effect is on an executive order Trump issued on Cuba. Citing emergency powers, Trump tacitly threatened Mexico with tariffs if they kept sending oil to Cuba. Mexico had become the island's largest provider of oil. That executive order relied on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, which the Supreme Court has now said he cannot use to impose tariffs.
Eder Peralta, NPR News, Mexico City.
President Trump says limited strikes against Iran are possible even as nuclear talks continue. Iran's foreign minister says Tehran expects to finalize a draft deal within days and send it to Washington. Tensions have risen as the administration presses Iran for concessions and increases U.S. military presence in the region. Federal environmental regulators have repealed standards for limiting mercury and other air pollution from coal plants. Montana is home to the country's biggest emitter. Ellis Julin with Montana Public Radio reports.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalized its repeal of the 2024 mercury and air toxic standards. The policy would have required power plants to install filtration systems to capture pollutants like mercury, arsenic, and lead. The Trump administration says the move will save utility companies money, but health professionals say the costs outweigh any savings. Rob Byron is an internist in rural Montana.
Repeal of these standards will result in many Americans dying needlessly from preventable causes related to air pollution.
Montana's largest coal-fired power plant, Coal Strip, is the highest emitter of these air toxins in the country. This rollback is the EPA's latest deregulation. It is expected to draw legal challenges. For NPR News, I'm Ellis Julin in Missoula, Montana.
A powerful winter storm is predicted to hit parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast this weekend. Mark Chouinard, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service, says the storm could knock out power across several regions.
The combination of the wet snow, it's going to be a wet snow and those strong winds, will likely result in scatter to numerous power outages, especially along coastal areas from, say, New Jersey to southern New England.
Forecasters say strong winds could combine with heavy snowfall to create dangerous travel conditions across several states. The storm is expected to develop overnight, with snow picking up through the day on Sunday into Monday morning. This is NPR News. A federal judge has denied the Trump administration's request to delay restoring a slavery exhibit at a historic Philadelphia home where George Washington once lived. The city is suing the federal government after it was removed last month. The Interior Department says it plans a new display, but the judge says the agency must work with the city on any exhibit. Alex Ferreira has won the gold in the men's free ski halfpipe at the Winter Olympics. Aspen Public Radio's Regan Mertz has more on yesterday's competition.
Ferreira's gold medal completes his own Olympic set after he earned a bronze and a silver at the past two games. His win also gave the U.S. its 10th gold medal during this year's Games. The last time the U.S. won this many Winter Olympic gold medals was in Utah in 2002. After watching Ferreira's performance, his old Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club coach, Eric Knight, recalled teaching the Olympian as an eight-year-old.
Right from the very beginning, I knew that it was something special.
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