NPR News Now – 5AM EST, February 16, 2026

Host: Dave Mattingly
Length: ~5 minutes

Episode Overview

This rapid-fire NPR News Now episode delivers the day’s top headlines: a federal government partial shutdown over DHS funding and immigration disputes, early voting kicking off in a high-stakes Texas Senate primary, a major terrorism court case in Australia, renewed U.S.-Iran nuclear talks, and Team USA’s men’s hockey progress at the Winter Olympics. Each story is covered briefly but with essential details, offering listeners a concise yet informative update.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Federal Government Partial Shutdown

[00:16]

• Main Issue: Congress failed to agree on funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), resulting in a partial federal shutdown.
• Political Dynamics:
  • House and Senate are currently in recess.
  • Democrats demand reforms to DHS immigration enforcement before supporting new funding.
• Scope of Shutdown:
  • Notably quoted by Republican Congressman Andrew Garbarino (NY): Many DHS agencies remain unfunded: Secret Service, FEMA, CISA (cybersecurity), TSA, Coast Guard.
  • Essential personnel are required to work without pay.

Quote:
"It's Secret Service, fema, cisa, who's the cybersecurity agency, as well as the TSA officials that work at our airports, Coast Guard. They are all going to go to work without being paid."
— Rep. Andrew Garbarino [00:51]

2. Texas Senate Primary Begins

[01:05]

• Background: Early voting opens in Texas where Sen. John Cornyn (Republican) seeks a fifth term.
• Challengers:
  • State Attorney General Ken Paxton (leading or tied in polls for a year)
  • Congressman Wesley Hunt
• Primary Outlook:
  • A runoff in May is likely, as no candidate is expected to get a majority on March 3.

Quote from John Cornyn (read by reporter):
"Unfortunately, my opponents are people who frankly just want to join those ranks of performance artists who want to come to Washington, D.C. and want to become famous, get the most clicks on social media and raise money. But the job entails a whole lot more than that."
— Sen. John Cornyn (as quoted by Andrew Schneider) [01:25]

3. Australian Bondi Beach Terrorism Case – First Court Appearance

[02:13]

• Incident Recap: 15 people were killed in a December shooting at Bondi Beach, Australia, during a Jewish festival.
• Suspect:
  • 24-year-old Akram (full name given in original reporting; here referenced per style as Akram)
  • Appeared in Sydney court by video link, faced 59 charges including 15 counts of murder and one terrorism charge.
  • No plea entered; confirmed understanding of privacy orders for survivors' identities.
• Next Steps: Court hearing set for April.

Key Details:
"Akram appeared via video link from prison before a Sydney court... 15 counts of murder and one count of committing a terrorist act over the shooting attack on a Jewish community gathering."
— Christina Kukola [02:34]

4. U.S. and Iran to Resume Indirect Nuclear Talks

[03:11]

• Diplomatic Update: Geneva is the next site for indirect U.S.-Iran discussions about Tehran's nuclear program, with Oman again mediating.
• Delegation:
  • U.S. led by Trump special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
  • Trump has ordered a buildup of U.S. naval forces in the Middle East as a show of pressure.
• Recent Developments: Both sides called last round in Oman “productive.”

5. Winter Olympics – U.S. Men’s Hockey to Quarterfinals

[04:06]

• Performance Recap:
  • Team USA beat Germany 5-1, outscoring group stage opponents 16-5.
  • First Olympics in 12 years where NHL players participate.
• Key Players:
  • Captain Auston Matthews (2 goals vs. Germany, 3 total thus far)
  • Brady Tkachuk (two goals, notable physical play)
  • Goalie Connor Hellebock (NHL MVP, only two goals allowed in two games)
• Next Match: Direct qualification to quarterfinals; await winner of Sweden vs. Latvia (Sweden favored).

Quote:
"Team USA came into the Olympics with eyes on a gold medal. It would be just the third ever for the Americans and the first since the Miracle on Ice team back in 1980."
— Becky Sullivan [04:06]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On DHS Shutdown:
  "They are all going to go to work without being paid." — Rep. Andrew Garbarino [00:51]

• On Texas Primary’s new culture:
  "[My opponents] just want to become famous, get the most clicks on social media and raise money." — Sen. John Cornyn (via Andrew Schneider) [01:25]

• On Olympic Hopefuls:
  "...just the third ever for the Americans and the first since the Miracle on Ice team back in 1980." — Becky Sullivan [04:06]

Important Segment Timestamps

• Partial government shutdown: [00:16] – [01:05]
• Texas Senate primary: [01:05] – [02:13]
• Bondi Beach terrorism court update: [02:13] – [03:11]
• U.S.-Iran nuclear talks: [03:11] – [04:06]
• Team USA men's hockey Olympic update: [04:06] – [04:50]

Overall Tone:
The episode delivers urgent, concise news updates with focus on factual reporting and essential political context. The brief format ensures each segment gets straight to the core.