NPR News Now – February 13, 2026, 6 PM EST

Host: Ryland Barton

Overview

This five-minute NPR News Now episode covers breaking developments on a potential U.S. government shutdown, an ICE investigation after a fatal shooting, shock results at the Winter Olympics in Milan, U.S. inflation data for January, a high-profile UK court ruling on protest bans, tech industry news with Amazon's Ring, and LeBron James' latest basketball milestone.

Key News Highlights & Insights

Partial Government Shutdown Looms

[00:15 – 01:03]

• Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding is expiring at midnight.

  • Context: Democrats draw a hard line on funding, demanding DHS reforms, especially regarding Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), following fatal officer-involved shootings.
  • ICE Operations: Not directly affected; received over $70 billion in separate funding last summer.
  • Congress: Lawmakers expected out of town, but on standby for a return if an agreement arises.

• Notable Quote:

  • “But this shutdown wouldn't mean a shutdown of ICE itself. That agency received over $70 billion in separate funding from Congress last summer.” — Barbara Sprunt (00:45)

ICE Under Investigation

[01:03 – 01:42]

• Federal inquiry into Minneapolis shooting by immigration officers:

  • Investigating potential perjury; officers may have lied under oath about details of the fatal shooting of a Venezuelan man.
  • ICE Director Todd Lyons cites video evidence contradictory to officer testimony.
  • Officers are on administrative leave during the probe.

• Notable Quote:

  • “Video evidence showed testimony made by two separate officers appeared to have included untruthful statements…” — Ryland Barton (01:08)

Winter Olympics Shocker in Men’s Figure Skating

[01:42 – 02:20]

• Ilya Malinin, U.S. favorite and world champion, finishes eighth:

  • “One of the biggest shocks in Olympic history.” Malinin fell twice, completed only three of seven quadruple jumps.
  • Kazakhstan’s Mikhail Shadorov wins gold; Malinin misses the podium entirely.

• Memorable Moment:

  • “This was supposed to be a coronation, but he just had a horrible free skate… He didn't win gold. He didn't win silver or bronze. He ended up in eighth place.” — Steve Futterman (01:50)

U.S. Inflation Eases

[02:20 – 03:11]

• January’s Consumer Price Index:

  • Inflation at 2.4% year-over-year, slower rise than December.
  • Offsetting factors: higher rents and groceries versus a 7.5% drop in gasoline prices over the year; electricity and natural gas prices soared.
  • Core inflation (excluding food and energy): 2.5% (also a slowdown).

• Notable Quote:

  • “Grocery prices in January were up 2.1% from a year ago. Airfares also got more expensive last month, while used cars and trucks got cheaper.” — Scott Horsley (02:41)

London Court Rules on UK Protest Ban

[03:11 – 04:11]

• UK's designation of 'Palestine Action' as a terror group challenged:

  • High court says government’s ban is “disproportionate” but lets the ban stay for now, pending appeal.
  • Since 2020, the group has vandalized arms factories tied to Israel; supporters faced arrest for mere expressions of support during Gaza war protests.
  • The ruling underscores tension between anti-terror policy and civil liberties in the UK.

• Notable Quote:

  • “Judges ruled the government's labeling of Palestine Action as a terror group was, quote, disproportionate… Protests over this grew during the Gaza war, prompting questions about free speech and civil liberties.” — Lauren Fryer (03:34, 03:53)

Amazon’s Ring Ends Flock Safety Partnership

[04:13 – 04:38]

• Ring backs out of tech integration with neighborhood surveillance firm after backlash:
  • Decision comes after controversy over a Super Bowl ad featuring AI and lost dog recovery.
  • Cited need for more time/resources and concerns raised by critics about privacy with neighborhood camera networks.

LeBron James Breaks NBA Age Record

[04:38 – 04:57]

• James becomes oldest player with a triple-double (41 years, 44 days):
  • Breaks Karl Malone’s record with the Los Angeles Lakers vs. Dallas Mavericks.
  • Demonstrates continued dominance and longevity in the NBA.

Segment Timestamps

• Partial government shutdown, ICE/Minneapolis shooting: 00:15 – 01:42
• Winter Olympics men’s figure skating upset: 01:42 – 02:20
• U.S. inflation report: 02:20 – 03:11
• UK court and protest ban: 03:11 – 04:11
• Amazon Ring news and LeBron’s record: 04:13 – 04:57

Notable Quotes

• “But this shutdown wouldn't mean a shutdown of ICE itself.” — Barbara Sprunt (00:45)
• “Video evidence showed testimony… included untruthful statements…” — Ryland Barton (01:08)
• “This was supposed to be a coronation… he ended up in eighth place.” — Steve Futterman (01:50)
• “Core inflation in January was 2.5%. That's also a smaller annual increase than the month before.” — Scott Horsley (02:55)
• “Judges ruled the government's labeling of Palestine Action as a terror group was… disproportionate.” — Lauren Fryer (03:34)
• “At 41 years and 44 days old, James broke the record held by Karl Malone.” — Ryland Barton (04:44)

This concise news update spans government, legal, economic, international, technology, and sports highlights, delivering the day’s key stories with clarity and brevity.