NPR News: 02-16-2026 7PM EST

Summary

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NPR News Now – 7PM EST, February 16, 2026

Host: Ryland Barton
Duration: ~5 minutes

Episode Overview

This concise NPR News Now edition delivers the latest headlines: ongoing immigration disputes and shutdowns in Washington, deepening fuel crises in Cuba, American military support in Nigeria, landmark Olympic wins, a missing person case linked to Walmart, a foiled plot at Taylor Swift’s Vienna concerts, new findings in the Navalny case, and a mischievous feline thief in New Zealand’s schools.

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Key Stories and Insights

1. U.S. Immigration Standoff and DHS Shutdown

• Summary:

  • Lawmakers and the White House remain in a deadlock regarding proposed immigration enforcement changes, leading to a partial Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown due to a lapse in funding.
  • Ongoing negotiations between Democrats and the White House won't proceed further until Congress reconvenes next week.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “A crisis captures national attention… only for talks to fizzle and lawmakers to trade blame across the aisle.”
    — Sam Greenglass, 00:32

  • "On immigration, the parties are in fundamentally very, very different places... High hopes, low expectations."
    — Senator Tim Kaine, 00:53

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2. Cuba’s Worsening Fuel Shortages

• Summary:
  • Cuban drivers may wait months to refuel, as U.S. oil sanctions intensify shortages.
  • To limit chaos, Cuba mandated the use of an app called "Ticket" for refueling appointments, but bookings are backlogged by weeks.

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3. U.S. Military Support in Nigeria

• Summary:
  • About 100 U.S. troops and equipment recently arrived in Nigeria to train local soldiers.
  • This follows Nigeria’s request for training and intelligence sharing and signals an improvement in U.S.-Nigeria relations after prior diplomatic tensions.

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4. Olympic Bobsled Triumph for U.S. Athletes and Moms

• Summary:

  • Elana Meyers Taylor (gold) and Kayleigh Humphries (bronze), both mothers in their 40s, medaled in the women’s monobob at the Winter Olympics.
  • Notably, Meyers Taylor is now the most decorated Black athlete in Winter Games history.

• Notable Quotes:

  • “Meyers Taylor came from behind to edge out a German sledder by 4/100 of a second, capturing gold.”
    — Brian Mann, 02:21
  • “Meyers Taylor has the most medals of any black athletes in the Winter Games with gold, three silver and a bronze.”
    — Brian Mann, 02:29

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5. Missing Person Case: The Walmart Backpack Lead

• Summary:
  • Investigators in the disappearance of Savannah Guthrie's mother are working with Walmart due to a suspect-linked backpack sold exclusively in their stores.
  • The item is currently the only piece of evidence firmly identified.

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6. Taylor Swift Vienna Concert Attack Plot Thwarted

• Summary:
  • Austrian prosecutors charge a 21-year-old for planning attacks on Taylor Swift’s Vienna concerts, citing online ties to ISIS and bomb-making efforts.
  • Authorities canceled three concerts in August 2024 as a result.

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7. Alexei Navalny: European Report Suggests Poisoning

• Summary:

  • A report from several European countries concludes that Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was likely poisoned with epibetidine, a rare toxin.
  • Russia dismisses the finding, maintaining Navalny died of natural causes and refusing to investigate further.

• Notable Quotes:

  • "The report notes that only Russia's government had the means, motive and opportunity to administer the poison to Navalny."
    — Charles Mains, 04:08
  • “Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the European allegations as biased and unfounded.”
    — Charles Mains, 04:18

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8. ‘Slinky Malinky’: The Real Cat Burglar in New Zealand

• Summary:
  • A school’s series of mysterious thefts (towels, shoes, underwear) are solved: the culprit really is a cat, now nicknamed ‘Slinky Malinky’ in homage to a literary feline thief.
  • Security cameras provided the evidence.

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• Immigration Stalemate & DHS Shutdown – 00:15–01:14
• Cuba Fuel Shortages App – 01:14–01:34
• U.S. Troops Arrive in Nigeria – 01:34–01:54
• Olympic Bobsled Medals – 01:54–02:55
• Missing Person Investigation (Walmart Backpack) – 02:55–03:13
• Taylor Swift Concert Plot – 03:13–03:34
• Navalny Poisoning Report – 03:54–04:33
• Cat Burglar in New Zealand – 04:33–04:57

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Memorable Moments

• On Congressional Negotiations:

  • “High hopes, low expectations.” — Senator Tim Kaine, 00:53

• Bobsled Historic Win:

  • “Meyers Taylor has the most medals of any black athletes in the Winter Games.” — Brian Mann, 02:29

• ‘Slinky Malinky’ Naming:

  • “School officials are calling him Slinky Malinky, after the feline criminal in a beloved children’s book.” — Ryland Barton, 04:47

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This episode delivers rapid-fire updates with substance, insight, and a touch of light-hearted news, maintaining NPR’s characteristic clarity and tone throughout.

Transcript

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[Ryland Barton]

See Terms live from NPR News. In Washington, I'm Ryland Barton. Lawmakers in the White House remain deadlocked over proposed changes to immigration enforcement. NPR's Sam Greenglass reports. The Department of Homeland Security ran out of money on Friday, forcing it to partially shut down.

[Sam Greenglass]

This latest standoff seems to follow a familiar cycle. A crisis captures national attention. A number of Democrats and Republicans pledged to take action only for talks to fizzle and lawmakers to trade blame across the aisle. That's what happened after a bipartisan effort to resurrect Lapp's health subsidies fell apart recently, says Senator Tim Kaine, a Virginia.

[Senator Tim Kaine]

Democrat on health care. On immigration, the parties are in fundamentally very, very different places. And so that means I go into any negotiation in a topic like this. High hopes, low expectations.

[Sam Greenglass]

Negotiations on immigration between Democrats and the White House are ongoing, but Congress is in recess until next week. Sam Gringlass, NPR News, Washington.

[Ryland Barton]

Drivers in Cuba could have to wait several months to refuel their cars as fuel shortages caused by a US Oil siege intensify. To avoid chaos outside gas stations, Cuba's government last week made it obligatory for drivers to use an app known as Ticket to get refueling appointments. But the app is only granted granting appointments several weeks or months from now. About 100 U.S. troops and equipment have arrived in Nigeria to help train soldiers. The arrival follows a request by the Nigerian government to the US for training, technical support and intelligence sharing. The deployment follows an easing of tensions that had flared between the US And Nigeria. President Trump issued threats over allegations that Nigeria was not protecting its Christian citizens. Two US moms born in their in both in their 40s rather, have won gold and bronze in the women's bobsled at the Winter Olympics. Elana Meyer's Taylor and Kayleigh Humphries reached the podium after a close contest against top German sliders. NPR's Brian Mann reports.

[Brian Mann]

Ilana Meyers Taylor and Kaylee Humphries have been teammates for years, talking publicly about the challenges of being elite athletes who are also parents moving into middle age. On the winding ice track. They put their deep experience on the line in the monobob race, where each athlete pushes and drives a solo bobsled. Meyers Taylor came from behind to edge out a German sledder by 4/100 of a second, capturing gold. Myers Taylor has the most medals of any black athletes in the Winter Games with gold, three silver and a bronze. Humphries won gold in this event four years ago and slid a clean line here to win bronze. Both women will have another shot at the podium in two woman bobsled races later in the week. Brian Mann, NPR News, Cartina d', Ampezzo, Italy.

[Ryland Barton]

Investigators working on the disappearance of Today show host Savannah Guthrie's mother are consulting with Walmart management to develop leads. That's because a backpack the suspect was wearing is sold exclusively Walmart stores. The backpack's the only clothing item that investigators have definitively identified. You're listening to NPR News from Washington. Austrian prosecutors are charging a 21 year old man who they say planned to attack Taylor Swift's Vienna concerts. They say he backed the Islamic State group online and they say he studied bomb making instructions and made a small amount of an explosive used by the Islamic state. Authorities canceled three Taylor Swift shows in Vienna in August 2024 after they said they stopped the PL. The Kremlin is rejecting a new European report that says Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was likely murdered by a rare poison. Navalny died two years ago today in a remote prison under mysterious circumstances, as NPR's Charles Mains reports.

[Charles Mains]

Issued by the U.K. france, Germany, the Netherlands and Sweden, the report claims that analyses of samples from Navalny's remains conclusively showed traces of epibetidine, a toxin found in poisonous frogs in South America. The report notes that only Russia's government had the means, motive and opportunity to administer the poison to Navalny while he was serving out a lengthy prison sentence in Russia's Arctic. The US Says it has no reason to dispute those findings. Yet Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissed the European allegations as biased and unfounded. Russia's government has always maintained Navalny died by natural causes and declined to launch a criminal investigation into his death. Charles Manes, NPR News, Moscow.

[Ryland Barton]

A cat burglar has been caught stealing towels, shoes and underwear at a school in New Zealand, but really, he's an actual cat. And after a series of mysterious thefts, the klepto kitty was caught on security camera. School officials are calling him Slinky Malinky, after the feline criminal in a beloved children's book. You are listening to NPR News from Washington.

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