NPR News: 02-13-2026 7AM EST

Summary

NPR News Now – 02-13-2026 7AM EST

Episode Overview This episode of NPR News Now provides a concise, five-minute roundup of major national and international news stories as of the morning of February 13, 2026. The newscast, anchored by Korva Coleman, covers imminent government funding issues and immigration enforcement, a landmark social media addiction trial, a tragic mass shooting in Canada, the UN’s new AI panel, a space mission launch, and highlights from the Winter Olympics in Italy.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. DHS Partial Shutdown and Immigration Enforcement

[00:17 - 01:21]

• The Department of Homeland Security faces a partial shutdown tonight unless Congress agrees on a funding bill, which is currently stalled in the Senate.
  • Reason: Democrats demand major immigration enforcement reforms.
  • Recent incident: Federal agents shot and killed two Minneapolis protesters, further intensifying disputes over enforcement.
• Withdrawal of Federal Immigration Officers from Minnesota
  • Minnesota Governor Tim Walz urges residents to remain vigilant as immigration officers pull back from the state.
  • President Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, claims the federal government now has “unprecedented cooperation” from state and local law enforcement, supposedly granting more access to undocumented inmates in county jails.
  • However, Estelle Timar Wilcox (Minnesota Public Radio) points out the reality is unclear:
    • “Several county sheriffs say they didn’t change any enforcement policies. So we’re yet to see if county jails really do start giving ICE that increased access, as Homan mentioned.” — Estelle Timar Wilcox [01:08]

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2. Landmark Social Media Addiction Trial

[01:21 - 02:20]

• Jury trial underway in Los Angeles: Parents of children who died from self-harm linked to social media use are suing Instagram and YouTube’s parent companies (Meta and Google).
  • Courtroom is filled with grieving parents, such as Ellen Roome, who flew from England after losing her 14-year-old son, Jules.
  • Key Testimony:
    • “This is massive if we can prove the product is faulty. Where children are kept on their platforms for hours, but the constant algorithms and constant continuous scroll, they’re being fed harmful material.” — Ellen Roome [01:55]
• Platforms' Defense: Meta and Google argue social media is “not clinically addictive”.
• The outcome could set a precedent for more than a thousand pending cases against social media companies.
• Mark Zuckerberg is scheduled to testify next week.

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3. Canada Mass Shooting Aftermath

[02:20 - 03:14]

• Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney cancels a security conference trip to Munich to attend a vigil in northern British Columbia after a mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge.
  • Eight people, most of them children aged 11-13, were killed; shooter reportedly died by suicide.
  • Leaders of all political parties invited; opposition leader Pierre Poilievre confirms attendance.
  • The formal announcement of Ottawa’s defense industrial strategy is postponed.

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4. UN Vote on Artificial Intelligence Panel

[03:14 - 03:38]

• The United Nations General Assembly has agreed to establish a scientific panel to study AI’s effects and risks.
  • The Trump administration was one of only two countries to vote against it, arguing UN should “stay out of AI regulation”.

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5. International Space Station Mission Launch

[03:38 - 03:53]

• A four-person astronaut crew launches from Cape Canaveral, Florida, heading to the International Space Station for a mission expected to last at least eight months.

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6. Winter Olympics: Figure Skating Spotlight

[03:53 - 04:47]

• Men’s Singles Figure Skating, Italy: American skater Ilia Malinin, nicknamed “Quad God”, is favored to win gold.
  • Transformed the sport with his unprecedented athletic and technical prowess.
  • Expert Praise:
    • “Is it his limb length? Is it, you know, the perfect proportion in his body? Is it his strength? Is it his flexibility? I mean, it’s some combination of all of those things, right?” — Paul Wiley, 1992 Olympic silver medalist [04:23]
  • In his upcoming routine, Malinin is expected to attempt six to seven quadruple jumps, including a possible quadruple axel—never before landed at the Olympics.

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7. Business Update

[04:47 - 04:56]

• Wall Street: Dow futures are trending lower in premarket trading.

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Immigration Enforcement Cooperation:

  • “Several county sheriffs say they didn’t change any enforcement policies. So we’re yet to see if county jails really do start giving ICE that increased access, as Homan mentioned.”
    — Estelle Timar Wilcox [01:08]

• On Social Media’s Role in Child Harm:

  • “This is massive if we can prove the product is faulty. Where children are kept on their platforms for hours, but the constant algorithms and constant continuous scroll, they’re being fed harmful material.”
    — Ellen Roome, whose son died by suicide [01:55]

• On Ilia Malinin’s Historic Figure Skating:

  • “Is it his limb length? Is it, you know, the perfect proportion in his body? Is it his strength? Is it his flexibility? I mean, it’s some combination of all of those things, right?”
    — Paul Wiley [04:23]

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [00:17] — DHS funding, immigration enforcement fight
• [01:21] — Social media addiction trial in LA
• [02:20] — Canadian mass shooting vigil and PM Carney’s schedule
• [03:14] — UN Assembly votes on AI risks panel
• [03:38] — ISS crew launches
• [03:53] — Olympics: Figure skating preview (Ilia Malinin)
• [04:47] — Wall Street premarket update

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Tone and Style

This edition embodies NPR’s neutral, fact-driven tone with empathetic moments—especially in the coverage of affected families (e.g., Ellen Roome’s testimony). The language is clear, succinct, and measured, suitable for listeners seeking a rapid but comprehensive update on world events.

Transcript

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[Korva Coleman]

In Washington, I'm Korva Coleman. The Department of Homeland Security will partially shut down late tonight unless Congress can agree on a funding bill the Senate failed yesterday to advance one. Democrats are demanding major changes to immigration enforcement. This comes after federal agents shot and killed two Minneapolis protesters last month. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is asking state residents to stay vigilant while the federal government withdraws immigration officers from the state. President Trump's border czar Tom Homan says the drawdown is happening because federal officials were able to get unprecedented cooperation from state and local law enforcement. He says that federal officers now have more access to undocumented people held in county jails. But Minnesota Public Radio's Estelle Tmar Wilcox reports the specifics of Homan's claim are unclear.

[Estelle Timar Wilcox]

The officials we've heard from say they've had productive talks with Homan, but several county sheriffs say they didn't change any enforcement policies. So we're yet to see if county jails really do start giving ICE that increased access, as Homan mentioned.

[Korva Coleman]

Estelle Timar Wilcox reporting. A landmark social media trial against social media platforms Instagram and YouTube continues today in Los Angeles. Angeles. NPR's Bobby Allen reports. A jury is weighing whether the platforms were designed to addict young people.

[Bobby Allen]

Meta and Google have told jurors social media is not clinically addictive. Packing the courtroom are grieving parents whose children have died from self harm. The parents link to social media use like Ellen Room, who traveled from England. She comes to court with a framed photo of her 14 year old son Jules.

[Ellen Roome]

This is massive if we can prove the product is faulty. Where children are kept on their platforms for hours, but the constant algorithms and constant continuous scroll, they're being fed harmful material.

[Bobby Allen]

The trial is a test case for more than a thousand other pending cases blaming social media apps for addictive design features. Meta says it's long prioritized. Child safety CEO Mark Zuckerberg is set to testify next week. Bobby Allen, NPR News, Los Angeles.

[Korva Coleman]

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney will travel to northern British Columbia today. He'll attend a vigil for this week's mass shooting in western Canada. Eight people were killed by a shooter who officials say died by suicide. Dan Carpentuk reports.

[Dan Karpenchuk]

After the attack, Carney scrapped his trip to attend a security conference in Munich, deciding to stay home. Carney was also supposed to announce Ottawa's new defense industrial strategy in Halifax before heading to Munich. That planned announcement remains postponed. Several cabinet ministers will join him today at the vigil in the town of Tumbler Ridge. Carney's office has invited leaders of all parties to accompany him to British Columbia. The official opposition leader, Pierre Poilievre, says he will attend. Meanwhile, Canadian authorities have confirmed the identities of eight victims at the Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, most of them children 11 to 13 years old. For NPR News, I'm Dan Karpenchuk in Toronto.

[Korva Coleman]

This is npr. The United Nations General assembly has voted to create a scientific panel to study the effects and the risks of artificial intelligence. The the Trump administration was one of two votes against it. The Trump administration says the UN should stay out of AI Regulation. A crew of four astronauts is now headed for the International Space Station. They blasted off before dawn from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The crew is set to spend at least eight months in orbit. The big event at the Winter Olympics in Italy today is figure skating. The men's single event is set. The American figure skater Ilya Malinin, who is nicknamed the Quad God, is an overwhelming favorite to win a gold medal. Steve Futterman reports Malinin is transforming the sport.

[Steve Futterman]

Rarely is there a performer who virtually everyone expects to win, but Ilia Malinin is an exception. His ability to leap and twist and turn on the ice is unlike anything the sport has ever witnessed. Paul Wiley is the US silver medalist from the 1992 Winter Games. He says Melanin is a once in a lifetime athlete.

[Paul Wiley]

Is it his limb length? Is it, you know, the perfect proportion in his body? Is it his strength? Is it his flexibility? I mean, it's some combination of all of those things, right?

[Steve Futterman]

In his free skate, the 21 year old is expected to include six to seven quadruple jumps, including possibly a quadruple axel, which has never been successfully performed at the Olympics. For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman in Milan.

[Korva Coleman]

On Wall street in premarket trading, Dow futures are lower. I'm Korva Coleman, NPR News in Washington.

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